FORMER Hunter Wildfires lower-grade coach Seru Rainima has been given the job of leading the Lake Macquarie rebuild - and he could have a couple of marquee signings to help.
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The Roos were cut from the first-grade competition halfway through last season after a series of lop-sided scorelines and concerns for player safety.
They continued to field teams in second and third grades but didn't win a game.
Despite a "disastrous" 2021, president Jason Wagstaffe is confident the Roos will have the numbers and the quality to field three senior sides and under-19s in 2022.
Rainima will be key to achieving that goal.
A Fijian representative at under-19s and 21s level, Rainima has an extensive coaching background, having worked in the Sydney Shute Shield and Sub Districts competitions.
He assisted Steve Merrick with the Wildfires colts in 2020 and was part of the second grade staff this year.
"Seru will bring a wealth of rugby experience to the club," Wagstaffe said. "He has played at a high level for Fiji and in Europe before turning his hand to coaching. Technically, he is very sound and will help develop the young players the club has worked hard to bring through.
"He also has a very strong network of contacts and is confident of attracting players to the club. As soon as we get out of lockdown, training will start. He has five Fijians ready to rock in."
A lack of front-rowers was the main issue last season, but Wagstaffe said the plan was to recruit across the board.
"Recruitment has already begun with several players being approached to give us strength up front," Wagstaff said. "To give us that go forward and punch, we are looking to the Fijians.
"We are trying to convince Brendan Holiday to come back in some capacity. We'd love him to play first grade or even help out with the backs.
"Through Mark Mitchell, we are looking at bringing in a couple of marquee players - similar to Mark Burman in 2012 - so we can really make inroads in 2022."
Burman, a former Waikato Chiefs lock, joined the Roos midway through the 2012 season and helped take them to a game short of the grand final.
Hunter Rugby Union is currently forming criteria for inclusion in Premier Rugby next season.
"We want a minimum of 45 senior players registered by the end of February," Wagstaffe said. "If we can't, we will pull the pin.
"We have had a decent batch of juniors come through. We have about 15 who played grade this year and we have another crop coming through who will play under-19s.
"We are hoping that if we put a good rugby staff together - coaches and trainers - players will want to come rather than us trying to entice them."
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James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
