By MARK CASHMAN

Northern Suburbs head coach Earl Va’a gets the chance to take his coaching “live” when the Shoremen host the Hunter Wildfires at home on Saturday.

Va’a has been in quarantine for much of the past two weeks and only really got hands on last weekend when his time in the hotel was over.

Before that it was a hell of a tussle to even get him back into the country after he went home to be with his family in Wellington, New Zealand once the Covid-19 pandemic got serious.

Norths officials tried to get him back into the country four times only for him to be turned back at the airport but eventually he got himself on a plane and is now trying to make up for lost time.

Va’a has been coaching by Zoom, WhatsApp and numerous other new age coaching techniques and it seems to be doing the trick with his coaching group and players leadership group stepping up and seeking out three wins from three starts.

“It’s been great to do some fact to face coaching and just be around the boys this past week,” Va’a said.

“After all it’s why I have been brought over here and to be honest it’s been great to be able to share some stories and have some personal contact with the guys.

“We will need to execute our roles and make sure the skills are on point to get on top of the Wildfires who from my reckoning have improved a lot from Round One though until now.

“They can play that is for sure.”

A familiar face to many at Norths will be their hooker Steve Lamont who played colts and a couple of years of grade with the Shoremen and he will be have to watched.

Wildfires coach Scott Coleman said: “I think North is very similar side to Manly. If we can get in their face and really disrupt them and pressure them at the breakdown I think we can turn it into a even game.

“If we give them quick fast ball I think we will be in for a long day.”

NORTHERN SUBURBS (1-15):
Jack Brewer, James Margan, Isaac Cavu, Dave Henaway, Nick Palmer (c), Brad Hemopo, Heinrich Brendel, George Murrin, Nick Duffy, Angus Sinclair, Reece Mau’u, Harry Burey, Nathan Russell, Tom Gilbert, Max Burey.

HUNTER WILDFIRES (1-15):
David Puchert, Steve Lamont, Nicholas Dobson, Adam Edwards, Sevanaia Rokobara, Piers Mortell, Shawn Ingle, Marlon Solofuti, Mahe Fangupo, Michael Moloney, Rob Buserau, Angus Brown, Hayden Cole, Nimilote Qio, Chad Northcott.

LAST TIME: not applicable

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON