Wet and wild semifinals in the wind

FEND OFF: Mid Northern's Peter Taylor keeps Mid Western fullback Tristian Rawcliffe at arm's length. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

The four prevailing teams of the 2015 Bayleys Southern Districts Premiers season were expected to play their respective semifinals today amid howling winds and heavy rain.

In semifinal one Mid Northern will host Otamatea while resurgent Mid Western will try to dispatch table-topping Wellsford in the other.

Mid Northern coach Craig Edwards was undeterred by the dismal conditions being forecast and said his side were at full strength going into their match against Otamatea - especially after being on the receiving end of a hefty loss to Mid Western, 34-17, last weekend.

"They all got the message. But they've got the right attitude [now]," Edwards said.

Goal kicking was the defining factor that let Mid Northern down when they lost a tight, 15-16, encounter against Otamatea at Hukerenui in round 11.

However, Edwards said Cory Evers remained their in-form kicker and had been putting in plenty of hours practice with the help of assistant coach and knowledgeable goal kicker David Holwell.

Aware of the threat Mid Northern pose, Otamatea coach Dean Kenny said carrying the underdog status into the match could work in his side's favour.

"I think we're tracking okay.

"Hopefully what's transpired over the last few weeks can carry into this [semifinal].

"We've had the bounce of the ball.

"A lot of our guys have never played finals footy.

"Mid Northern's never going to be easy up there [but] we're quietly confident within ourselves, within the team."

In the other premier fixture set for today, Wellsford will be in for a tough match as they host a Mid Western side fresh off a big win over Mid Northern last weekend.

Breaking into the playoffs by the narrowest of margins - after table leaders Wellsford were beaten well by a strong Old Boys Marist side - Mid Western's bonus-point win got the Maungakaramea side through, but only just.

"We're looking forward to it.

"The boys are up for it [so] we'll give it a good try," Mid Western coach Danny Woodcock said.

With a question mark hovering over the availability of star loose forward Jaycob Matiu, Woodcock said the rest of the side would remain the same as last weekend.

That meant first five Dan Wells would return to the fray as the pivotal decision maker in the backline.

Wellsford coach Ross Neal said his side were shaping up well after missing several players during last weekend's loss to Old Boys Marist.

"We're back to full strength. We've had a few good trainings."

Asked if the conditions might disrupt the game plan, Neal reiterated that with finals footy "it comes down to who wants it the most". "Both teams have got the same conditions.

"We're expecting a tight match and it's definitely going to be an 80-minute game."

In the Southern Districts Reserves playoff matches today, Mid Northern will host Hora Hora at Hukerenui and Wellsford's reserves will travel to Kaiwaka to face Otamatea.