COACH Scott Coleman knows the Hunter Wildfires are far from the finished product but he is excited to see how rising stars Brendan Palmer and Freeman Kerapa cope against Manly at Rugby Park in Singleton on Saturday.
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Palmer will start on the wing and Kerapa at blindside breakaway in the Wildfires' first hit-out of the preseason.
Tongan international Tau Koloamatangi will make his debut in a pack that features former Super Rugby players Andrew Tuala and Bo Abra and breakaway Donny Freeman, who spent time with the Western Force in the preseason.
Palmer, 18, made one appearance off the bench in the Shute Shield last season and is in the NSW Waratahs under-20s squad.
Kerapa, like Palmer, has come through the Wildfires' colts program.
"I'm excited for them to get their chance," Coleman said. "They deserve it. They are the fruits of the program.
"Brendan has trained really hard. He is on a pathway to the top. He just has to find his voice. That will come with more experience and more exposure.
"Freeman is a little bit older. He is tough bugger who doesn't shy away from anything. He works hard and also has a bit of X-factor. The best way to describe him is as a natural footballer. I'd like to see a little more aggression from him.That is what I will be monitoring."
The Wildfires have a host of players unavailable.
Italian lock Gabriele Venditti is playing for NSW Waratahs A against Eastwood, while hooker Hamish Moore and prop Angus Websdale are with the Western Force.
Centre Ueta Tufuga has tightness in his hamstring and Taufa Kinikini is coming back from injury in second grade.
Coleman moved the start of the preseason back a month to avoid a repeat of last season fade out.
"We are well short of the finished product," he said. "A few boys are a bit concerned that we haven't done enough.
"I just want them to enjoy playing rugby. I have rewarded the guys who have been there all preseason. It will be good to see where we are at and how we handle it.
"Manly played a three-way trial with Waratahs and Warringah a few of weeks ago. They will be further advanced in their preparation.
"It is a good opportunity for us to have a crack. I just want to make sure we win our collisions. Concentrate on individual things. Everything else we can work on.
"If we are not making our tackles and not wining the collisions, we are not going to fix that before round one."
Wildfires: 1 Tau Koloamatangi, 2 Andrew Tuala, 3 Bo Abra, 4 Rob Puli'uvea, 5 Ben Wood, 6 Freeman Kerapa, 7 Donny Freeman, 8 George Noa, 9 Nick Murray 10 James King, 11 Brendan Palmer, 12 nate De Thierry, 13 Nick Watson, 14 Dion Evans, 15 Ethan Morgan
The Wildfires will play Manly in firsts, second, women's and three colts grades. Singleton will play Manly third grade. The Wildfires will also conduct a junior clinic.
*****
BUBBA
PLAYERS KEEN
There is a little but of anxiety there. We are well short of the finished product. A few boys are a bit concerned that we haven't done enough.
I just want them to enjoy playing rugby. We started pre-season four weeks later than last year. We flat-lined at the end of last year,.
We have quite a few players out but it is still fairly strong.
Very strong front-row
I have rewarded the guys who have been there all preseason. If t was a 50-50 call, the guys who has been here all preseason got the nod.
Freeman pipped - Eli Crosswell, Tom Gore, - 3 kiwis
Italian playing for Waratah A v eastwood, Euta Tufaga (tight hamstring), Hamish Moore (Force), Tauifa back from injury in 2s, Angus Websdale (force).
WHAT WANT
It will be good to see where we are at and how handle it. We will be put under pressure because we haven't nailed our exits, we haven't nailed our A-zone attack. I want intensity and intent to tackle.
SET PIECE
It shoud be solid. We have the basics down pat. Four different lineout options, which we will build on.
We have quite few guys from last year, who know what is going on.
OPPORTUNITY YOUNG ONES
I'm excited for them to get their chance. They deserve it. They are fruits of the program.
Brendan has trained really hard. he is on a pathway to the top. He only just turned 18. He has to find his voice. That will come with more experience and more exposure.
FREEMAN, 21
He has thinked up. he is tough bugger who doesn't shy away from anything. he is a natural footballer with a lot of skill.
His brother is thicker...
WHAT WANT FROM HIM
He works hard and also has a bit of x-factor. The best way to describe him is as a natural footballer. I'd like to see a little more aggression from him and win his collisions. That is what I will be monitoring.
He he is not a ranter and raver. He just gets in and does his job. I think he will complement Donny really well. They will be the workers, which allows george to pick his moments and have an impact.
EXCITED WHAT THEY BRING
I'm excited for them to get their chance. They deserve it. They are fruits of the program.
BIG DAY ---
3 colts games, at junior ground. Singleton v Manly 3s,
clinic at 10.30, Bulls, women's 2's, 1st
MANLY
I have rewarded the guys who have been there all preseason.They played a 3-way trial with Waratahs and Warringah a couple of weeks ago. When we did that we were a lot further along.
They ahve been doing set picee 6 weeks. They will be a lot further along in their preparation.
It is a good opp for us to have a cracjk and see where we are at. I'm not too worried about the score. I just want to make sure we win our collisions. Individual things. Everythingelse we can work on.
If we are not making our tackles and noty wining the collisions, we are not going to fix that before rd 1.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
