The Manawatu Mustangs and their contingent of Whanganui Boxon players hope they now have their feet under them heading into their second home NZRL National Championship match with the Northland Swords tomorrow.
After no club league this season, the Mustangs squad was selected by player-coach Haze Reweti and his stafffrom two trial matches, and opened their campaign with a brave 36-22 loss to regional favourites the Wellington Orcas last Saturday at Fitzherbert Park.
The Boxon regulars in the team are Reweti, captain and lock Woody Martin, halfback Bernard Matthews and prop Gordon Karaitiana, all Mustangs incumbents from 2018.
Joining them are two players coming up from the Boxon Under 17's – winger Kayin Katene and NZ Resident Under 18's player Brooklyn Herewini, whose father Haki Herewini serves as Reweti's assistant coach.
Also coming over to league is former Steelform Wanganui utility back Josh Fifita, who played in last year's Ranfurly Shield challenge to Taranaki and then a few Mitre 10 Heartland Championship games.
Karaitiana was one of the Mustangs' four try-scorers against the Orcas, as the teams were tied 22-all in the second half, before the visitors began to pull away.
Reweti said the issue was not so much physical fitness, with the majority of the team having played club rugby union for the season in Whanganui and Manawatu, but instead falling off their systems against a side who have played league all winter.
"It's just lack of footy, being focused and composed, sticking to the game plan."
They still gave a better performance than their neighbours the Taranaki Sharks, who likewise did not get a club league season, and were hammered by the Swords 56-10 last weekend.
"It will be a tough game, but we'll stick it to them and see how we go," said Reweti about tomorrow's match.
As well as Martin, who was excellent against the Orcas, the team will look to their veterans like fullback Corey Governor, who scored from halfback last weekend and has his son Jahlon in the team.
Kickoff tomorrow in Palmerston North is 2pm.
The Mustangs team is 1. Corey Governor (vc); 2. Leonard Matapuku; 3. Patrick Hiscox; 4. Haze Reweti; 5. Kayin Katene; 6. Jahlon Governor; 7. Bernard Matthews; 8. Taumutu Nohotima; 9. Hemi Hindmarsh; 10. Gordon Karaitiana; 11. Josh Brown; 12. Josh Kerr; 13. Woody Marton (c). Interchange: 14. Brooklyn Herewini; 15. Josh Fifita; 16. Alex Nootai; 17. Hoani Rameka; 18. Joshua Metekingi.
