BOP marks 50 up for Goody the Great [Nelson Mail]
Andrew Goodman would love nothing better than to celebrate his 50th game for Tasman in the appropriate manner.
So would his team-mates. But nothing, particularly in this year's topsy-turvy NPC rugby competition, is guaranteed.
Tasman's skipper finally achieves his milestone in tomorrow's clash against Bay of Plenty on his favourite ground in front of a home crowd. And when he leads his team onto Trafalgar Park at 7.35pm, he joins only three others to have achieved the mark.
One of them, utility back Robbie Malneek, is still in the side and heads the list with 70 games. The others, flanker Jonathan Poff and No 8 Mark Bright, ended their Tasman involvement last season with 63 and 52 games respectively.
But there's more on Goodman's mind than simply reaching 50 games. After three wins and four losses this season, he said that his major focus tomorrow will be on trying to beat premiership team Bay of Plenty and ending Tasman's frustrating three-match losing streak.
He's aware that after some favourable championship results at the weekend, fourth-placed Tasman can still control their own destiny in terms of securing a home semifinal.
Second-placed Otago's loss to Hawke's Bay, third-placed Northland's loss to Bay of Plenty and fifth-placed Southland's humiliating 84-0 drubbing at the hands of Canterbury have given Tasman some heart. But Tasman desperately need a win.
"I suppose the results at the weekend all worked in our favour, so it's all in our hands again now," Goodman said.
"If we can get a win here, we'll go a long way to securing a semi, so it's a pretty important game. [Losing is] not an option, we need this win, so the boys are in a pretty good head space and really looking forward to it.
"Being back at home on Trafalgar Park will help out as well. It's awesome to be able to play my 50th [game] here. I love running out there and leading the boys onto Trafalgar Park.
"I think if we win this one, we'll be in pretty good position for a home semi, because Otago have got Auckland and Wellington left, so that's a pretty hard run-in."
Despite last week's one-point loss to Waikato in Hamilton, Goodman felt the team had addressed some key issues stemming from their previous loss to Otago.
"I think there was a big shift in attitude at the breakdown in the Waikato game, so that was a positive. But still, finishing and getting points when we get down on attack, and finishing some of our plays and making sure we keep good shape . . . quite a lot of little things [still need addressing].
"We're still creating as many opportunities as we had been at the start of the year, it's just about finishing them off really."
Changes have been forced on Tasman's coaches through illness. Lock Joe Wheeler is out with tonsilitis, bringing Riki Hoeata into the starting lineup alongside Filipo Levi, with Tevita Cavubati moving onto the bench.
Midfielder Sione Holani also comes onto the reserves bench.
Tasman's head coach, Kieran Keane, acknowledged the occasion and Goodman's contribution to the province.
"He's been a magnificent servant for us and he truly deserves the achievement he's got," Keane said. "He's a tremendous captain and he has a lot of mana within the organisation, so we think it could be a tribute to a pretty special Mako man if we could do something about this."
However, Keane was also wary of maintaining a balance.
"I think the fact he's going to play his 50th is pretty special and might be something that lights a fire. But, of course, the objective is to win . . . to keep our chances of a semifinal alive. The cards have fallen quite nicely for us and it'd be a pretty average day if we didn't take advantage of that."
