REGARDLESS of whether or not Super Rugby representative Andrew Tuala returns for the Wildfires on Saturday, coach Scott Coleman has identified "discipline and contact" as the key areas to work on ahead of back-to-back Shute Shield games at home.
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Coleman says he "hopes to have AT back next week" with the front-rower, drafted in for NSW as recently as last year, sidelined for Hunter's 29-9 loss away to Gordon and two previous rounds.
"We've got back-to-back home games, which hopefully helps us get back on track. But they are two hard games - Eastwood just beat Warringah and then Parramatta," Coleman told the Newcastle Herald.
In what Coleman described as "pretty horrendous" conditions at Chatswood Oval on Saturday, the Wildfires led 6-0 early and 9-7 before Gordon went to the main break up 12-9.
Coleman said "we were always in the game" but conceded two converted tries late in proceedings.
"Our discipline lets us down and we just didn't win any collision areas in the second half," he said.
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
