NEWCASTLE and Hunter Rugby Union are seeking coaching and medical staff for the NSW Waratahs satellite academy to be based at No.2 Sportsground.
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The first intake of 12 players, which was selected from a combine day last month, have attended two sessions in Sydney.
By August, the NHRU hope the program, which provides specialist training for elite players aged 16-18, will be operating out of Newcastle.
"NSW rugby want 70 per cent of the content put in through local resources," NHRU general manager Andy Fairfull said.
"We are looking for coaches, assistant coaches, a dietitian, strength and conditioning coach and physiotherapist.
"We need to appoint staff, who will be trained by NSW Rugby and will then put a syllabus together.
"While we are doing that, the players are travelling to Sydney to get their initial content.
"Ultimately they want most of it done locally. The squad will train together each week in Newcastle and go to Sydney once a month for a specialised session."
Fairfull was happy with the size of the initial intake.
"It was an unknown," Fairfull said. "It could have been a case where NSW determined there were only two or three players up to the standard required after the combine. We didn't anticipate we would get any more than 15 and I think 12 is a good result.
"The general feedback was that technically and skills-wise our players measure up well but they fall behind in strength and fitness."
