There has been much speculation around the availability of Wildfires players for the play-off series, which starts in four weeks.

Most Wildfires have played the majority of the second round for local clubs after the Shute Shield was suspended due to the COVID lockdown in Sydney. A call on whether the Sydney competition will proceed is due on August 16.

As it stands, Wildfires players contracted from outside the region can't play in the Hunter rugby finals.

Local-based players who have featured in more than five games for the Wildfires are also ineligible.

Local loyalty players, who have spent more than five years at one Hunter club, are eligible for the finals regardless of how many games they have played for Wildfires. However, they they must have played six games for that club spread across the season; ie not the last six rounds.

Someone like Steve Lamont would not be available for Hamilton despite being a local loyalty player.

However, Charles Fielder, who played a couple of games for the Wildfires before returning to Nelson Bay would qualify.

Clubs can apply to the Regrading Committee, which is different to the appeals committee.

** Hamilton have been boosted approaching the finals with the return of Seva Rokobaro. The giant Fijian has recovered from a calf injury which restricted the back-rower to two games for the Wildfires. He has played off the bench in second grade for the past two weeks.

Kiwi fly-half Raniera Petersen is also due back from a broken draw.

** Nelson Bay have released a one-off jersey to celebrate indigenous round. The Bay enlisted the help of Andrew Smith, CEO Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council, to design the jersey incorporates the clubs emblem, the Groper, swimming between the heads along with the mullet, which runs annually.

** University have found the secret to attracting big numbers to Bernie Curran Oval - put on cheap beer for the various colleges. Residents from Evatt House filled the hill for Students clash against Wanderers.

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