5 days Ago By James Gardiner
COACH Darren Coleman expected to see spring-heeled Kiwi lock Ngaruhe Jones and NSW Country fly-half Tute Grant at the Hunter Wildfires' first session. Login or signup to continue reading But there were a couple of surprises, albeit seasoned players, among the 180 grade, colts and women's players at the club induction on Saturday. Experienced Wanderers duo Ben Ham and Marcus Christensen are looking at testing themselves in the Shute Shield in 2025.
Ham and Christensen played for the Wildfires, which was the Hunter Rugby rep team, in the COVID-19 abbreviated 2020 Shute Shield. Hunter Rugby was not played that season due to the pandemic and they returned to Wanderers in 2021. Jones played two years with the Wildfires before joining Wanderers last season.
The Wanderers trio are all aged in their thirties. Grant, 27, trained with the Wildfires last season but ended up at Hamilton. "We had a couple of surprises in the last week with some local guys, who I hadn't planned on, wanting to give it a crack," Coleman said.
"It is good that we have guys from the local comp wanting to come and have a go. "Maybe they have been pretty comfortable in the local comp. They have done it for a long time and here is an opportunity to get out of their comfort zone.
"Tute was outstanding for NSW Country in the Australian Rugby Shield this year. "Everyone looks at Ngaruhe and goes: 'there is more to get out of him'. "Those four players are all experienced players who want a challenge and to test themselves.
I think it is awesome. "They will be in the mix. Where they end up, I'm not sure.
" Since Coleman's appointment in August, the former NSW Waratahs boss, has been building a squad capable of challenging for a premiership. Most were on deck for the first field preseason session at Newcastle University on Monday night. A small group of high-end recruits arrive in January.
"We have about 70 players committed for grade, colts numbers are between 80 and 90 and we are looking at possibly two women's teams," Coleman said. "That is really positive. "The best thing about having good numbers is the competition that it drives.
Once you have competition you have standards." "Based on those numbers - we will have some drop off - when we get to the final trial in March, we should be able to move some players back to clubland. "That will help with the relationship between Hunter clubs and the Wildfires.
" Coleman said much of the focus at the induction day was on club culture. "I want players to care about the club and make it feel like their club," he said. "At times, for multiple different reasons, there has been a bit of a mercenary flow through of players.
"They weren't really attached to the club and when things didn't go their way, whether it be selection or results, it was pretty easy to jump off. "That all comes from attracting big numbers in colts. They will feel that it is their club.
"I also had good meeting with the staff and set some goals. Everyone understands that there is a social aspects to us, but we are not a social club, there is a performance aspect to it. "If we are going to compete against the big clubs in Sydney, the staff have to work to be the best in our job.
" The Wildfires have poured more resources into the colts program, which is headed by Ross Hopkins. Former Maitland captain Jono O'Toole and former Wildfires and Hamilton fly-half Andy Kilgour are among a host of specialist coaches. "When a player comes to training he has coaches who can help him with specific aspects of their game," Coleman said.
Coleman anticipated preseason training would be pretty stock standard. "There will be hard work, lots of skills and system installation," he said. "We are calling the phase before Christmas - sharpening the axe.
I want the players to be really individual skill, fitness and speed focused." James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald. James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
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