IN-FORM hooker Phil Bradford and tall timber Ngarhue Jones are on the radar of the NSW Waratahs as the Hunter Wildfires face a crucial four-game stretch that could determine their Shute Shield finals hopes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Wildfires got stuck in the mud, going down 29-7 to Eastwood in atrocious conditions at TJ Millner Oval on Saturday.
"The water was ankle deep in large parts of the ground," Wildfires coach Scott Coleman said. "It was atrocious but both teams had to play in it. Eastwood handled the conditions far better than we did. They smashed us with their kicking game. Their five-eighth Chris Bell found space and had us constantly coming out of our own end."
Bell then drove a penalty kick into touch 15 metres out from Wildfires' try-line. Four phases later, centre Komiti Tuilagi crashed through for 12-0 after 12 minutes.
Bradford gave the visitors hope when he powered over from 15 metres. The hooker had delivered the pass that set up a linebreak, the phase before.
Bell then produced a midfield bomb, which the Wildfires allowed Eastwood centre George Worth to collect and race 30 metres.
From there, the home side was in control.
"Phil was awesome around the field again," Coleman said. "The Warartahs are looking at him and Ngarhue Jones."
The loss dropped the Wildfires from seventh to ninth - the first time they have been outside the top eight in two months.
"We have Western Sydney at home next," Coleman said. "They beat Southern Districts on Saturday and jumped to sixth. They are a different team to the one we beat 29-12 early in the season. There are no easy games. We have Parramatta, Manly at Manly and Randwick at home."
The Wildfires women's clash with Gordon was postponed due to state of the ground.
Meanwhile, soon-to-be Wildfires front-rower Andrew Tuala made his debut for Samoa off the bench in a 31-26 win over Australia A on Saturday. Former Wildfires OJ Noa and Henry Stowers also featured in the Pacific Cup win.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
