HAMILTON are preparing to be without blockbusting breakaway Tueiti Asi for the grand final
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Asi is booked to fly out to Spain on Monday to take up a contract with a second division club. Asi is still awaiting final paperwork before he can depart.
Hamilton coach Scott Coleman has been in touch with the manager who has organised the deal via email in a bid to have his exit delayed by a week, but to no avail.
"We are treating it as though he won't be here," Coleman said. "Liam Bowden will come straight in."
The Hawks also have Belgium international Tom Coupe (pictured) in the wings. Coupe won the Hipwell medal as the player of the grand final last year, but snapped his Achilles in a pre-season trial.
He returned in third grade on Saturday and played off the bench in first grade.
"He is an extordinary athlete," Coleman said. "He has thrown everything into his rehab and is six weeks ahead. He puts pressure on everyone."
* Jay Strachan notched his 150th and perhaps final first grade game for the Greens in the 25-17 loss to Maitland in the minor semi. Strachan has a chronic knee injury, missed a large chunk of this season and is considering having a spell.
* Maitland already have a team through to the grand final. The Blacks women came from 12-0 down to overrun Hamilton 14-12 in the preliminary final and set up a date defending champions The Waratahs.
The grand final kicks off after the first-bvgrade preliminary final on Saturday. The Tahs are unbeaten in two seasons.
* The Tahs will be hoping for a better outcome than their divisional side which went down 14-12 to Muswellbrook in the grand final. It was the second straight year they have lost the decider to the Heelers. Play was held up for 40 minutes after a Tahs player suffered a back injury. There were three minutes remaining when the injury occurred. Both captains made the call to continue the game rather than be declared joint premiers. The injured player has since been cleared of major damage.
The GF was Chris Grieve's 300th senior game for The Waratahs. Greives, who is president of the Waratah juniors has been with the club since 1991. His father Ken is a life member and his daughter Alix plays under-8s.
