Coach: Darren Zorbas

Last year: 6th (6 wins, 10 losses, 435 points for, 436 against)

Arrivals: Daniel Davis (NZ), Isaac Griffin (NZ), Wyatt Midgley (NZ), Hayden Shepherd (Singleton)

Departures: Ben Whaler (Maitland), Chris Smith, Junior Polai, Orissi Vosuqa (University), Michael Hotene (retired) Rhys Dombkins (Police force), Inoke Rokotolu (Lake Macquarie)

You have previously coached at Easts and had the past five years as an assistant at Hamilton. The Hawks have been the benchmark for the best part of a decade. What do you take from that environment and try to implant at Strong Oval?

Mainly the mindset and what is required to be at the top level. The players have to buy in. If you have players with the same attitude, you end up with the same results. The reaction from the players has been good. We have averaged 30 for the top-two grades at training. I have brought in a strength and conditioning coach and we have done a lot of base fitness work. We are constantly working on skills and I have been implementing the systems I want to run.

You have picked up three forwards, Isaac Griffin, Daniel Davis and Wyatt Midgley from New Zealand rugby heartland Taranaki, what will that add to the squad?

Issac Griffin is a lock/back-rower and has played a fair bit of rep footy in New Zealand. He is an option at the lineout and is also a strong ball carrier. Daniel Davis is a prop and solid scrummager. Yatt (Midgley) is a hooker and gets around the park. They will bring size, experience and a bit more drive. We are also looking at bringing in another front-rower from New Zealand to give is a bit more depth, but with the competition start being up in the air, we are sitting back on that for now.

On top of the new Kiwis, you have Adam Edwards, Nathan Oliver, Zion Takarua and Jordan Byfield. It is the basis of a strong pack. Is that where you will look to dominate?

We have also had Hayden Shepherd come down from Singleton. We lost Ben Whaler and Rhys Dombkins who are both strong ball carriers but I think we have managed to replace them. I'm confident that we will be OK across the park. Hopefully, the forwards can provide a strong platform and allow Chad Northcott to do his thing. He will float between 10 and 15. We have some good kids coming up from the under-18s and it is a matter of where they fit in as well.

Last season the Bay lost three games on the bell and went down in another by six points. Given it is only a top four this year, it will be crucial to win those tight ones.

I have watched a lot of games from last year on video and I think the reason they dropped off was due to fitness. That is why we have focused on getting that base work done. We started training in October. Obviously it is important to win the tight games, especially at home. To have success, it is crucial that you get the job done at home.

Darren Zorbas has been ensconced in the Bubba Coleman bubble at Hamilton for five years - five premierships. Expect to see a bit of Hamilton in the way they go about things. There is no doubts everything starts up front for the Gropers. Adam Edwards has been arguably the find of the rep program. He plays hard and direct, wins the ball at the lineout and gets over the ad-line. Nathan Oliver had a quieter 2019 by his standards but is one of the strongest over the ball in the competition. The Kiwis should add an edge to the pack. The question marks are in the backline after the loss of Hotene, Smith and Polai. Chad Northcott is a match-winner but he can't do it on his own. First task is turning Strong Oval back into a fortress. If they can win at home they could be knocking on the top-four door.

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