The Howick Hornets Rugby League Football Club’s players and coaches are fired up and ready to give it everything they’ve got this season.

The Hornets’ premier men’s side has a new head coach in Blake Ewe.

Ernie Delamere serves as assistant coach and the side is again led by seasoned captain Tony Tuia.

The Hornets took on the Manukau Magpies on April 26 for a chance to stay in the top-tier Fox Memorial Premiership competition.

Unfortunately, it didn’t go their way with the Magpies winning 34-16.

That defeat dropped the Hornets into the second-division Sharman Cup competition, which Ewe says they’re now aiming to win.

“We want to go out and have a crack and win it. Individually, I want us, even our coaches, to get experience.

“We have a new manager who’s managing for the first time, and we have all these youngsters who are getting their first taste playing senior footy.

“So there’s growth there, which is the main goal individually.”

This season’s team has lost 80 per cent of the playing group it’s had in recent years.

“We’ve got three from our premier team and then another three from our reserve-grade team, so that’s a massive player pool,” Ewe says.

“That’s more so experience and exposure for these young kids, and with our senior players leading by example now.

“We’ve got a perfect balance of senior leaders and players in between, and then we’ve got the youth who are just keen to have a crack and find out for themselves.”

Ewe’s message to his players at the start of the season is to take any opportunity they get.

That’s because one week the premier team features new players on debut, who a week later are back in reserve grade.

“Even the older guys, they’re all on show. It’s just holding each other accountable at the moment.”

And he encourages the team’s current and future fans to get along to their home ground, at Paparoa Park in Cockle Bay, to show their support.

“The Hornets have been a massive part of this community forever. It was my first time being part of the [Howick Santa] parade last year.

“Seeing all the kids, the older people, who we’re playing for, all these business owners in Howick, and who we’re representing.

“Because at the end of the day … we play for our families, but this community is bigger than I thought. Especially in that Santa Parade last year.

“We got a big rap when we walked through the main strip, so it was good to see. I was quite proud.”

In round one of the Sharman Cup this season, the Hornets lost to the Northcote Tigers premiers by 18-28 in Birkenhead on May 3.

They followed that up with a 40-18 win over the Glenora Bears at Paparoa Park on May 10.

The Hornets next take on the Hibiscus Coast Raiders at Paparoa Park at 2.30pm this Saturday, May 17.