By MARK CASHMAN

His name keeps coming up when the question is asked in all the footy forums about who is the form player of the Shute Shield as we head into Round Seven.

Kaliova Nacina, the West Harbour blindside breakaway, is the one that keeps coming up along with the likes of Norths’ James Turner, Warringah’s skipper Ben Marr or even Sydney Uni’s try sneak Declan Moore.

Stan Sport’s Andrew Swain first brought him to my attention about a month ago and Nacina has just got better and better with the passing of every week.

Truth be known Nacina has been on the slow burn for a while but a change of mindset and finding his voice in the team situation has seen him blossom into one of the best in the competition.

He has gone from being a follower to something of a leader in a side that has had a slow start to the season and will play a key role for the home side when Wests take on Gordon in what will be a fascinating encounter at Drummoyne Oval on Saturday.

“Kali is playing the best rugby of his career, his work rate is just absolutely huge,” Pirates first grade coach Mark Gundmunson told Rugby News.

“The Stan Sport commentators seem to be saying his name in just about every second play of our games.

“His open field running and ability to find a team-mate in open space has really set the tempo for our team in attack.

“He is a player that we look to when we need something big. The way he always gets over the advantage line in attack sets up our go forward and momentum.

“Defensively he has improved so much in the off season and is not just an attacking threat anymore.

“Kali’s a great person on and off the field. He is not a man of many words, but when he does talk, it has serious meaning behind it and players listen.”

Gudmunson freely admits that his side came into the first round of the competition massively under done but each week they have improved and learnt lessons.

That all came together in the latter stages of their win over Manly at Manly Oval last weekend where it was increasingly obvious that it’s not a good idea to let the Pirates play in your half.

They have a good scrum, their line out works well most of the time and there are numerous big bodies to carry the ball when needed.

Those are qualities that Gordon will be very much across but the Highlanders will come into this one buoyed by the way that they went about their work against Randwick.

They showed some glimpses of form after a mixed start to the season at Coogee and the strong scrum and line out and string pulling of No.10 Nav Lokotui out them on the front foot.

The Highlanders looked like they were always going to win this one but they would have learnt a lot from executing what needed to be done.

Backrower Tom Silk was a star and his clashes in the midfield with Nacina will be, as they say, with the price of admission and a subscription to Stan Sport coverage.

“As a team we haven’t been executing as well as we should and we did that particularly at set piece,” Silk said earlier this week.

“The backline’s pretty fresh but they gelled well and everyone played their role.”

The win gave a signal that last year is just that.

“He (‘Billy’ Melrose) wants us to move on from last year,” Silk added.

“We’re just concentrating on getting running again and consider last year as just that last year.”

The Highlanders will know that the heroics of last year is just that when the imposing figure of Nacina heads their way.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON