A big ask in battle for survival

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

AON Waikohu coach Tahi Hiroki says his players will “give it everything we’ve got” when they take on OBM tomorrow in the penultimate points game of the premier club competition.

Tall order for Waikohu to make playoffs“We have to win and hope that Pirates beat or draw with YMP,” said Hiroki, whose side are fifth on the table — five points behind YMP — in the race for fourth spot and a place in the semifinals.

Hiroki acknowledged both were huge tasks. Pirates have conceded 202 points and scored none in their past two matches while OBM thumped high-flying Ngatapa 60-14 last week.

“It’s a big ask but if there is one thing these players have it’s big hearts. We showed that last week when we came from 20 points down to get to within a converted try of beating YMP at Manutuke. But we can’t afford to give teams a 20-point start, especially OBM. They must have played really well to put 60 points on Ngatapa last week. We also can’t worry about what’s happening in the YMP-Pirates game. Our focus has to be on OBM.”

The men from Te Karaka beat Enterprise Cars OBM 36-26 the last time the sides met in the second round.

“They beat us (26-16) in the first round so it’s one apiece, but this is the one that counts — more so for us than them,” Hiroki said.

Wet weather 'a great leveller': BlairOBM coach Stu Blair would have preferred the game was at Rugby Park rather than Barry Park (2.30pm kick-off).

“We played well at Rugby Park and obviously would have liked to have returned there this week,” Blair said. “But no matter where we played this game, it’s going to be a torrid affair. Waikohu are fighting for survival in the battle for the playoffs.

“According to the weather forecast it looks like it’s going to be wet and that’s always a great leveller. We’ll have to adapt our game from last week. And I’m well aware that one good game doesn’t win you the Lee Bros Shield (premier title),” he said, referring to their impressive display against Larsawn Ngatapa.

No Reeves or GroganBlair will be without mercurial first-five-eighth Ethine Reeves, out with a back injury, but even with Reeves missing, OBM will be hard to beat. They are peaking at the business end of the season and are far from being a one-man team.

“Apart from Ethine and James Grogan, who is still out with a knee injury, everyone else is available."

Skipper and lock Murray Hewson is back to his best form after some below-par performances by his high standards while prop Lance Dickson has been a model of consistency. Lock James Cook, No.8 James Rutene, openside flanker Lynden Manuel, and halfback Willie Grogan are getting better with every game.

Jakes Holmes, John Jones and Scott McKinley are all capable of switching positions in the backline and have the potential to carve holes in any defence. New winger Vonijasi Dencaucau made an immediate impression last week against Ngatapa.

"As well as scoring a try, and having another disallowed, he made ground every time he attacked,” Blair said.