2 weeks Ago By Max McKinney
With free entry for Hunter Rugby players, a "happy hour" at the bar and barely any other sport on locally, Wildfires coach Scott Coleman is hoping "one of our biggest crowds of the year" can help his side get the job done against Eastwood on Friday. Login or signup to continue reading But more than that, after winning their opening game at home a fortnight ago, Coleman believes the crowd can help the Wildfires start a winning streak at Newcastle's No.2 Sportsground.
The Shute Shield side won just three of nine games at home last year, a record they want to rectify in 2025. "We're hoping to," Coleman said. "We're trying to turn the home ground into a fortress, and to not lose at home is our mantra for this season.
"Anyone that is a NHRU member, so the local rugby union players, coaches, managers, all get free entry. "I think they've even got a happy hour on at one stage at the bar, they're trying to create a big atmosphere there which will be good if we can get one. "What else can you do on a Good Friday, really? "There's no local games on, we put on an Easter-egg hunt and those sorts of things to make it a family day out.
"It's one of our biggest crowds of the year." The Wildfires are 1-1 this year after taking on the sides that ran first and second last season the past fortnight. They return home after a late 15-12 loss to defending premiers Eastern Suburbs in Sydney on Saturday.
They beat semi-finalists Warringah 36-27 in Newcastle the week prior. "We knew it was going to be a hard start," Coleman said. "To come out and win one and get two points in the next one, if you said that to us two months ago, we'd take that.
"Obviously the boys were disappointed with a loss, but it's definitely our best start to a season, that's for sure." Eastwood, who finished ninth last season - a spot above Hunter - knocked off Randwick 39-36 first-up and belted Southern Districts 80-17 on Saturday. After back-to-back home games, they hit the road for the first time.
The Wildfires beat Eastwood twice last season, a 29-28 win in Sydney late in the season and 38-19 in Newcastle in April. But getting the job done this week could prove a little harder after the Wildfires lost No.6 Elyjah Crosswell (shoulder) and No.
13 Sitiveni Vahai (knee) to injuries last week. They join fullback Nate De Thierry (foot) on the sidelines . "Elyjah .
.. is six-to-eight weeks out," Coleman said.
"[Sitiveni] did his medial, so he is four-to-six weeks out." De Thierry is awaiting an MRI scan to determine if he has suffered the dreaded Lisfranc injury. "If it is that, that's surgery and the season.
He is in a boot still. It would be six-to-eight weeks at best," Coleman said. Mesu Kunavula returns to the competition from the NSW Waratahs and will play lock, while Sione Taufui starts for the first time in No.
13. Daniel Maiava shifts to No.6 after playing lock in the opening two games.
"Our pack is a bit bigger, a bit more size and we're looking to play a bit more direct," Coleman said. Kick-off is at 3.05pm Lower-grade games begin from 9.
20am. Max McKinney is a sports reporter with the Newcastle Herald. He previously worked in news, covering mainly local government and transport.
Max mostly reports on the Newcastle Knights, but also covers a mix of local sport. Max McKinney is a sports reporter with the Newcastle Herald. He previously worked in news, covering mainly local government and transport.
Max mostly reports on the Newcastle Knights, but also covers a mix of local sport. Daily Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update.
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