Attitude sure to decide Northland's fate in vital clash

Attitudes, they say, are contagious. The question is - are your's worth catching?
If Northland coach Bryce Woodward's mindset is anything to go by then one would expect the Taniwha to run riot tonight in their match against the Hawke's Bay Magpies at McLean Park, Napier.
The million-dollar question for a candid Woodward is whether his troops will pick up some of that contagious bug.
That Northland players were transported to McLean Park about 3pm yesterday to inspect the turf, not long after arriving at their hotel from the airport, spoke volumes of what Woodward is trying to instil.
It's not so much that he has to wear his attitude on his face, in the Alex "Grizz" Wyllie mould, but more so in what he says that makes his intentions clear.
Asked if he had heard of the atmosphere of McLean Park or the type of reception committee he was likely to encounter, considering it was uncharted waters for him, Woodward replied: "I've been here before but never to play footy. I know it's got goals posts at each end, has 10-metre long goals posts at each end and the ground is 100 metres long by 60 metres wide."
The visitors are precariously perched a rung above the Magpies on the ITM Cup National Provincial Championship ladder on 22 points.
Bathed in yesterday's Bay sunshine, Woodward hastened to qualify his troops were here to "enjoy themselves".
Enjoyment, as anyone knows at this level of competition, is only enhanced if the side savours victory. Anything short of that means bringing to task the team's motive and pedigree for competing.
Another stalemate, as the Magpies discovered last Friday night against Auckland at Eden Park, will feel like a defeat with teams jostling for a top-seven position.
Aware of the Magpies' dilemma, Woodward agreed drawing or losing matches with two or three minutes left on the electronic scoreboard wasn't ideal, although his preoccupation, understandably, was with the Taniwha.
"The difference is they [the Magpies] are getting better and we're struggling to find form after a good start," he said.
The optimist will argue what happens on the paddock is only 20 per cent of the mindset. The other 80 per cent comes down to how the players react to the situation.
Asked why the Taniwhas had progressively gone off the boil, Woodward laughed, paused momentarily, then replied: "They are probably getting a little bit tired".
Indubitably, he wasn't highlighting their physical shortcomings but alluding to their mental fortitude.
All Black Rene Ranger was still injured, Woodward said, but Australian-born lock Patrick O'Connor was expected in Napier this morning after time with the Wallabies squad.