SCOTT Coleman is excited at the prospect of working with NSW Waratahs No.8 Lona Halaholo when the Hunter Wildfires start pre-season training at University No.3 Oval on Monday.
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And if Coleman gets his way, there will be a host of other Wildfires soon knocking on the door of Super Rugby.
Tighthead prop Ruan Smith is contracted with the Waratahs for next season, while Halaholo and Fijian Luke Nadurutalo are on summer training deals.
The Wildfires' player of the year last season, Joe Tamani, has a similar deal with new Super Rugby outfit Fiji Drua and went into camp with them in Lennox Head on Saturday. Henry Stowers (Moana Pasifika) and OJ Noa (Sharks) have also made the step up to Super Rugby.
Coleman is adamant towering lock Ngaruhe Jones could soon join the list.
Jones, 28, had been in talks with clubs in Europe but has decided to stay with the Wildfires.
"Negotiations were dragging on with a club in Europe," Coleman said. "He is still only 28 and wants to give it a crack in the Shute Shield for another year or two. There is always Europe after that if it doesn't work out. He is a massive human and I don't believe we have seen the best of him yet. With a proper pre-season, he could be knocking on the door of Super Rugby.
"There are minor details he has to tidy up, but size, strength and aggression, he has got. You can't coach that. The rest I'm confident we can fix."
The core of the Wildfires starting side from last season headed by Jones, Will Feeney and Phil Bradford will be on deck Monday.
Halfback Leon Fukofuka is with the Tongan squad in Europe. Fly-half Nate De Thierry is in Spain and returns just before the start of the Shute Shield in April.
Halaholo and recently signed, South-African-born, back-rower John-Martin Stewart will be among a host of fresh faces.
"It is great to get Lona up here even if only for the odd session while he is with the Waratahs," Coleman said.
Last season, the Wildfires had an abbreviated pre-season after receiving the go-ahead from Hunter clubs in February to compete in the Shute Shield.
After a slow start to the campaign, they had climbed to ninth when the competition was suspended in July due to COVID-19.
In August, the Sydney Rugby Union confirmed that the Wildfires would be part of a revamped 12-team Shute Shield competition until at least the end of the 2024 season.
The surety has allowed Coleman to proper plan and put structures in place.
"As much as I still feel under-prepared, it is the most prepared we have been prepared in our short history," Coleman said. "One big area we can put a lot of time into is strength and fitness. In the past, we have relied on the guys doing it themselves.
"There is no secret that we struggled with the speed of the game and our fitness. We fell away in the last 15 minutes of games, especially early in the season. It's important that we get a really solid fitness base."
The Wildfires academy program also begins on Monday and along with the seniors will adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols.
'We will have anywhere between 50 and 70 colts, depending on HSC commitments, as well as senior players," Coleman said. "We have made it clear to all academy and senior player that if you are not vaxxed you cannot train."
