By MARK CASHMAN

He doesn’t always think so but the commute “to work” for Southern Districts hooker Andrew Tuala has been a blessing in disguise.

The 30-year-old hooker and sometimes loosehead prop travels down from Newcastle to play and train at the Rebels.

It’s a good 90-minute drive to and from the Hunter and when you throw in his job as a youth worker and raising a young family of three young girls (10-year-old Sienna, Taitua who is five, and three-year-old Telesia) it’s little wonder he sleeps well at night.

The separation from Sydney and it’s lockdown has also meant that he has been able to link up with his old club Wanderers in the local Newcastle competition while the Shute Shield has been on hold.