COACH Scott Coleman is glad to have the giant frame of captain Rob Puli'uvea back to strengthen the Wildfires pack against Warringah at Pittwater Park on Saturday.
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Puli'uvea, standing 199cm and clocking the scales at 126kg, is one of the biggest locks in the Shute Shield.
As well as power, Puli'uvea, who missed the thrilling 29-25 win over Easts, also brings experience and nous
"Rob gives us stability and a lot of confidence around our set piece," Coleman said. "He is a big unit but he is also very knowledgeable and has played at a high level. He has played in France and played in the NRC. He knows what it is all about."
It is new territory for the Wildfires.
The win over the Beasties was a club record fourth straight.
"As a coach and with a new organisation, you try to create and breed resilience and will power into them all pre-season," Coleman said. "There is nothing better than getting results. That is the best way to do it."
Again, the win over Easts was forged on a dominant set piece, especially the scrum and driving maul.
Rivals teams have taken notice and are developing different ways to combat the Wildfires' go-to areas.
"There is no secret to how we play the game," Coleman said. "Teams are now gunning for us. We spoke about it on Monday night. Easts came at us really hard. They smoked us in the first two driving mauls and had us in the scrum early. It took a while for us to wear them down.
"There are definitely minor tweaks we are looking at over the next two weeks.
"To be good at mauling, you need to love it. You have to be willing to put your head where other people won't. You have to work together and get good body height. It doesn't matter how good the defence is, it is impossible to stop a maul legally, if you are solid at it."
Puli'uvea replaces Ben Wood, who injured his shoulder against Easts. Fly-half Connor Winchester (shoulder) is also a chance of returning after sitting out the win at home.
"We will make a call on Connor on Thursday," Coleman said. "His shoulder has settled down a bit. There is no ligament damage, it is a matter of getting it right so he can tackle."
In other injury news, Nate De Thierry should be back in five weeks. De Thierry dislocated his shoulder in his first game back from France against Manly.
"He didn't do any structural damage," Coleman said. 'It's a matter of building up the muscles and ligaments around the shoulder so it doesn't happen again."
Nafi Tuitavake (ankle) faces a simlar time frame but Fijian Luke Nadurutalo (knee) is unlikely to be back until the finals.
Wildfires: 1 Faavae Sila, 2 Phil Bradford, 3 Nick Dobson, 4 Ngaruhe Jones, 5 Rob Puli'uvea, 6 Moragn Inness, 7 Donny Freeman, 8 Lona Holahalo, 9 Leon Fukafuka, 10 Will Feeney, 11 Isaac Ulberg, 12 Penikolo Latu, 13 Ton Watson, 14 Adrian Delore, 15 Tute Grant
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*****
i
ON FEENEY
He hasn't played 10 for a long time and he realised how hard it is. It is an eye opener for Will when he does go back to fullback or centre that he has to talk and let the fly-half know because he has actually been in that seat.
.
*******
BUBBA
iN and out of gyms. Air Locker have helped us out.
CONNOR BACK
We will wait until Thurdsay. It has settled down a little bit. There is no ligament damage. Just trying to get it right to he can tackle. T
ON FEENEY
He hasn't played 10 for a long time and he realised how hard it is. It is an eye opener for Will when he does go back to fullback or centre that he has to talk and let the fly-half know because he has actually been in that seat.
ROB PULI'UVEA bigger
He will have to come back and prove his worth. Ben Wood hurt his shoulder and is under a cloud.
ROB
Rob gives us stability and a lot of confidence around our set piece.
WARRINGAH
They have a really solid scrum.
TEAMS PLAN TO COUNTER STRENGTH
There is no secret to how we play the game. They will be gunning for us.
We spoke about it on Monday night. Easts really out-enthused us in the first half. They smashed us at the breakdown and got under our noses at the set piece.
It took a while for us to wear them down. We won a scrum penalty and then maul try at the end.
The first half wasn't good at all.
SUBTLE CHANGES - angle, where set from lineout
WE are looking at different tactics, some angles to attack it.
To be good at mauling, you neeed to love it. You have to be willing to put your head where other people wont. You have to work together, get good body height. It doesn't maqtter how good the defence is. It is improssible to stop it legally if you are slid at it.
There are definitely minor tweaks we are looking at over the next two weeks. At then iod the day we have to love it and be netter than the other team.
ROB BIG PART OF THAR
His a ig unit but he is also very knowledgeable and has played at a high level. He has played in France and played in the NRC. He knows what it is all about.
LAST 4 WEEKS EVOLED - aura aboiut them, beat them regardless
We haven't led a game yet. As a coach and with a new organisation, you try to create and bereed resilienace and will power into them all pre-season. There is nothing better than getting results. That is the best way to do it.
IT would to get a comfortable win.
That won't happen in this competirion, unless you get a team which is having a really bad day.
There won't be blow out scores.
RESt OF TEAM
As it was...
We haven't fielded the dame backlines. The first four roudns we had the same backline ad were changes the forwards all the time. The last four weeks has been the opposite.
That is due to injuries.
LUKE - he is another 9 weeks. Back last round depending how he recover and is fitness.
Nafi has 3 weeks and he is oiut of the boot, then we have to build his runniing capacity and fitness up.
Nate is another 5.
No structurual danage we just have to build up the muscles and ligaments around it so it doesn't happen again.
WARRINGAH
Rory O'Connor is one of the best loose heads in the comp. Ben Woollet - 13 or 15, is a very good ball runner.
They have always got really good backs. They play a lot of counter attack and side to side.
Max Grinder is a really good No.8.
****
ON PHIL
He has been our best. I don't think he is far off having a crack at the next level.
DARREN ASK - watch shute shield at end of season
He always has an eye on what happening in the shute shield. They have four full-time coaches and part of the job, which Darren has instilled, is that they each watch 2 shute shield games each weekend. They rotate the teams around.
Once the Waratahs are finished, I'm sure they will watch more games.
One round left then finals... 2-3 weeks
Hope to get Ruan Smoth. Waiting to here what Fiji Drua are going to do.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
