HUNTER Wildfires coach Scott Coleman has urged his players to pull together as their Shute Shield season threatens to spiral amid injuries and loss of form.
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After making the finals for the first time in history last year, Coleman - and the players - had set the bar high for 2024.
However, with six games remaining they sit in 10th spot on 22 points, 15 points behind sixth-placed Norths.
Halfback Nick Murray was the latest to joining the casualty ward, damaging his ankle in the first minute of the Wildfires' 62-26 loss to Western Sydney at Tweedale Stadium on Saturday.
He joins Hamish Moore, Ueta Tufuga, Isaac Ulberg, Isaac Montoisy, Elyjah Crosswell, Frankie Nowell, Lachy Hodges, Shay Kerry, Gabriele Venditti, George Noa, Jonathan Toelupe and Angus Websdale.
Tiueti Asi was suspended for the Two Blues game and hooker Andrew Tuala is on international duty with Samoa.
"We have to dig in together, work through this and get out of it," Coleman said. "The spirit and morale are fine. The boys are having a crack. We have just been killed by injury. We don't have the depth of the other clubs.
"We had five colts on the bench in second grade and one colt starting in seconds. Our colts won both their games. Second conceded a try on the bell to draw 38-all. The pathway is there. We just have to keep working at it."
The Wildfires had no answer to the size and power of the Two Blues, who broke tackles and off-loaded at will.
The home side led 29-0 and had a bonus point wrapped up after 30 minutes.
The Wildfires hit back either side of the break through tries to replacement halfback Tyzack Jordan and Rob Pul'uvea to close the gap to 29-14.
That was as close as the visitors got.
"Everything we said we wanted to do, we didn't do," Coleman said. "It was like watching a Super Rugby team. They had high energy and everything they did came off. The first 35 minutes was unbelievable by them.
"Our line speed was terrible and we weren't winning contact. They kept offloading and everything they did turned to gold."
AAP reports: Scans on Kurtley Beale are expected to confirm the recalled Wallabies veteran has ruptured his achilles, possibly bringing an end to his rugby career.
The 35-year-old, who was last week announced in Joe Schmidt's maiden 38-man squad, came off the bench for Randwick against Eastern Suburbs but went down untouched in the back-field.
A Wallabies spokesman said Beale would go for scans on Monday.
Beale was in line to make his return to the national side and add to his 95-Test career, having last played for the Wallabies in 2021.
It's understood Beale was permitted to turn out for Randwick after being told he wouldn't face the Welsh next weekend.
Australia's first Test under new coach Schmidt is against Wales on Saturday at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, with a second match in Melbourne on July 13.
The Wales double-header will be followed by a one-off Test against Georgia in Sydney on July 20.
It's understood Beale was permitted to turn out for Randwick after being told he wouldn't face the Welsh next weekend.
He had returned to rugby this Super season with the Western Force after a 12-month stand-down by Rugby Australia following serious legal charges, of which he was cleared.
Having made his debut for Australia in 2008, Beale had said he hoped to press his selection claims for next year's series against the touring British and Irish Lions.
"I'm just super-excited to be amongst the guys again and really excited for the opportunity ahead," he said upon his Wallabies recall.
"It's been a while now but I'm ready to rip in.
"Although you'd think at the time it's a long shot, I always had a lot of self-belief."
Schmidt, who took over following Eddie Jones's disastrous World Cup campaign, will announce his matchday squad on Thursday.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
