HUNTER Wildfires coach Scott Coleman is unlikely to rush giant English lock Shay Kerry into the side against Easts despite two forwards being in doubt for Saturday's crucial clash at No.2 Sportsground.
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Kerry, a 198cm 120kg second rower, touched down in Australia on Wednesday.
Spanish back-rower Unamol Urraze has also arrived.
"We will see how they go at training on Thursday," Coleman said. "Our physio and strength and condition coach are wary of pushing them too hard too early."
In-form back-rowers Donny Freeman (calf) and Elyjah Crosswell (hand) were replaced in the second half of 36-5 loss to Warringah. Halfback Nick Murray (shoulder) also pulled up sore.
"Donny will do a fitness test on Thursday night," Coleman said. "He got through about 1200m running on Tuesday and was OK.
"He sprained his ankle the game before. He had syndesmosis last year in the same ankle and is a bit anxious.
"Elyjah has an issue with his hand. Again, we will see how he is on Thurday."
Matt Williams is a likely replacement and Teuiti Asi is also in the frame after returning from a stint in Poland.
"Tiueti has returned in really good shape," Coleman said. "He is more mobile than when he left."
Belgian Issac Montoisy will come if Murray is ruled out.
"It is the same shoulder Nick had operated on four years ago," Coleman said. "He subluxed it but he has all his strength back in it and seems to be moving OK. Again, we will listen to the medical staff."
Whether Kerry, 29, plays Saturday or is held back a week, Coleman is confident he will be a valuable addition.
He has spent the past decade playing professionally including stints at the Bay of Plenty, French clubs Narbonne and Rouen Normandie and in Major League Rugby in the US with Toronto.
"He is a big body and has played a lot of professional rugby," Coleman said. "Hopefully he can help Rob Puli'uvea tidy up our lineouts.
"At the moment we have Rob and a bunch of young guys. It has been an Achilles heel for us. It is just attention to detail. I went though four lineouts in our match review on Monday We had blokes missing their roles. A lot of finer details we are getting wrong.
"Shay will also give us weight and strength in the scrum."
Wildfires: 1 Angus Websdale, 2 Andrew Tuala, 3 Bo Abra, 4 George Noah, 5 Rob Puli'uvea, 6 Elijah Crosswell, 7 Donny Freeman, 8 Asa Lehaui, 9 Nick Murray, 10 Ethan Morgan, 11 Veni Vahai, 12 Ueta Tufuga, 13 Tom Watson, 14 Isaac Ulberg, 15 Nate De Thierry