Newcastle Wildfires coach Scott Coleman has seriously contemplated travelling down to Sydney to have a crack at the Shute Shield at different times over the past decade or so.

But life, family and the joys of living in a place like Newcastle have conspired to get in his way of driving down the M1.

The Shute Shield though has come to him and he’s busily beavering away to make sure the game in the Newcastle Hunter area is shown in the best possible light.

Rugby News caught up with Newcastle Wildfires head coach SCOTT COLEMAN as he juggled the many tasks involved in putting out a competitive rugby side.

WHAT LIES AHEAD:
We are being realistic about the challenges that lie ahead. It will be tough that’s for sure but what it does create is a great learning opportunity for the Hunter Wildfires players, coaches and staff to test themselves at a higher level in the premier club rugby competition in Australia.

There’s no hiding the fact that putting the squad together within four weeks and jamming a pre-season into that time has had its challenges.

But we are excited at the opportunity and can’t wait to sink our teeth into it and show what the Hunter Newcastle area has to offer, on and off the field.

COMINGS AND GOINGS:
We will have the vast majority of the best local talent on deck and will obviously try to supplement our squad as the season goes on. I’ve identified a few of the undiscovered gems in our squad a bit further down in this article.

WHERE WE’LL NEED TO IMPROVE:
Right across the board – speed of game, physicality, intensity, skill execution, and playing to a tighter structure and getting guys familiar with playing with each other.

That’s quite a daunting list looking at it from a coach’s point of view but if we look at from week to week we will be okay. our aim is to get on the field on Week One, compete and then go away and improve and then do better the next game.

But equally as important is having fun and enjoying ourselves while we do all this. We want teams that come up to play us to take the time and get into some of those post game rituals that make the game so loved.

And when we are playing away we will be ripping in and getting to know the people that we have just been bashing up for the past 80 minutes.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Mahe Fangupo – A solid scrumhalf who that has been playing out at Forbes and has represented NSW Country for the past six years.

Ben Ham – a local Newcastle backrower from the Wanderers club. I’m really excited to watch him mix it with the best in Australian rugby. He’s a tough, no frills, hard competitor

Taulogo Lalaga – 12 Newcastle junior project originally, but went through the Northern Suburbs colts system and played in the centres. We’re looking forward to seeing him in the premier first grade division.

Chris Ale and Phil Bradford – both solid first grade hookers who have played seasons in the Shute Shield before

Piers Morrell – A Newcastle local and Wanderers backrower with a big motor on him. He’s just got to fine tune a bit of his contact skills and breakdown work and he could be anything.

Lachy Miller – raw 21-year-old with a massive motor doesn’t look much like a footballer but is a 100 percent a competitor and a very handy backrower.

Zac Crowley – still only 19, a young fullback who has a big future ahead of him. He will be sure to get some game.

HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR 2020:
We are excited and enthusiastic about getting the opportunity to play in the Shute Shield. we definitely hope this is not a one year thing. we would like to be given the opportunity of a three year plan to develop our rugby here in Newcastle and to be seen as a long term plan for Rugby in the Shute shield

As a playing group, we have spoken about what we want to get out of this and this includes being ultra-competitive, obviously win some games and for the opposition to know that it had a game of rugby once the games over, be physical, never quit attitude, as well as playing rugby in the right spirit.

We are really looking to get back to the core values of what Rugby is, and that includes the social side of things. We’ll attend opposition social and after match functions as well as creating a great environment for those travelling to Newcastle and playing.

OUR BIG IMPROVERS WILL BE:
Any one of the guys that I mentioned earlier in this article could put their hand up. I’m just hoping that we will be able to come together quickly on such a short preparation. Anyway as they say there is only one way to find out . . .

WHO WILL YOUR TEAM PLAY IN THE GRAND FINAL?
Obviously I’d love nothing better than to play Gordon in the grand final but my tips for the grand final would be either Easts, Randwick Gordon or Warringah