League: Ngongotaha Chiefs can topple league leaders - coach

FRONT FOOT: Ngongotaha Chiefs' player Matini Matini takes a hit up. The Chiefs take on Bay of Plenty-Coastline competition leaders Otumoetai Eels tomorrow afternoon at Puketawhero Park. PHOTO/BEN FRASER A_020417bf30.JPG

Despite defeat last weekend, Ngongotaha Chiefs' coach Jason Walker believes his side is making progress.

A late start to pre-season training has hampered the Chiefs and, in the first round of the Bay of Plenty Coastline competition so far, they have just a solitary win to show for their efforts.

Tomorrow they host the unbeaten Otumoetai Eels at Puketawhero Park after losing 48-30 to Tokoroa's Pacific on Monday.

Pacific's only loss so far in round one was against the Eels.

"The game [against Pacific] wasn't as tough as I expected, but our guys weren't good enough on the day," said Walker. "But to clock up 30 points and still lose is pretty hard to accept.

"We could also have scored another four or five tries, the opportunities were there."

The score did, though, make it easy to decide his training focus.

"We need a tighter defence - and we've been working on that this week.

"Defence has been a problem from the start pretty much, but at least our fitness is slowly picking up."

Walker acknowledged the strength of tomorrow's opponents.

"It doesn't get any easier, but if the boys knuckle down and work hard on their D, they could upset them - we are racking up enough points to win, just not putting the same
effort in on defence."

The game is last of the first round of games.

"We want to get things right for the second round of games. It would have been nice to get a couple more wins in the first round, but we have come close. If they put their minds to it, I think they could take the Eels. It depends if they all do it on the day or not - that's what it comes down to."

Kick-off is at 2.30pm. Pikiao have the bye.