THE last pre-season Hunter Wildfires hooker Hamish Moore did was with the NSW Waratahs three seasons ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Moore, then 20, returned home to the family property near Walgett at Christmas and didn't return to Sydney. City life was not for him.
Wildfires coach Scott Coleman convinced the former Australian Schoolboy to have another crack at the Shute Shield on the eve of last season.
Despite little preparation, Moore played off the bench in round one and went on to be among the best in the competition.
This pre-season Moore, who now works on a property near Singleton, hasn't missed a training session.
What's more, he has been among the leaders heading into the Christmas break.
"This is Hamish's first pre-season with us. I think it will be his last season," Wildfires coach Scott Coleman said. "I'm confident he will get picked up by a Super Rugby franchise. He has got what it takes. He has put on eight kilos of muscle and is sitting at 111kg.
"Rugby-wise, he has it all. He has to nail his details as a hooker - the lineout and scrum. If he can perfect that, he is like having another genuine seven. He is so good around the park."
Moore is competing with former NSW Waratah Andrew Tuala for the hooking position. Tuala is also adept at loose head prop.
Both will relish working with World Cup-winning Wallaby and former national forwards coach Andrew Blades, who has joined the Wildfires.
Former Wallabies assistant coach Scott Wisemantel is working as a consultant with the Wildfires and will hold his first session when training resumes in January.
Coleman is in talks with a lock based in Europe.
The Wildfires resume training on January 8 and have locked in trials against Manly in Singleton on March 9, Western Sydney at Maitland on March 16 and Brisbane club Souths in Coffs Harbour on March 23.
"We identified that as area for improvement," Coleman said."The feed back from the players was that they wanted more coaching.
"Pual Nixon has committed to a bigger role. Matt Hopkins, the new forwards coach, has been awesome. Plus Bladesy and Wisemantel coming in regularly."
Moore has not been the only one impressing on the training track.
"Nick Murray is always one of our hardest trainers and has put on 6kg of muscle," Coleman said. "Ben Wood has retured from Spain and has been training the house down, George Noa is having a crack. Taufa Kinikini has been working hard, Donny Freeman, Tiueti ... everyone has been putting in."
****
"He does 10 hours a day on a farm and works hard. His biggest problem has been eating enough. For the past couple of months he has been following a meal plan.
