The Wallamba Bulls meet the Old Bar Clams in the first round of the Lower Mid North Coast rugby union premiership at Old Bar's Richard Crook Field on April 4 and, as sure as summer lightning, Daniel Hessing will be at the battle front for the Bulls.
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Hessing is one of those footballers who rarely comes through a club's doors, perhaps once in a decade, more often than not, never.
He is 32, having started at 16 years of age with the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins in their under-17 team before transferring to Nabiac's new Wallamba club, along with his ball-boy brother and subsequent Mid North Coast Axemen representative flanker, Rhys.
Hessing has played in excess of 200 first grade games, probably nearer 250.
Not that he looks it.
He is still the cheerful, industrious, fearless, unscarred player and great club man.
He has occupied most positions on the Bulls' committee and won so many club awards that officials are acting under his strict instructions now to award them to other players.
Promotion came quickly for Hessing as a youth, an open-side flanker, involved in the hellfire of the breakdown collisions, where battling for the ball is fierce.
It requires courage to go there and takes tremendous toll on a man's body.
The knee he injured two seasons ago is still troubling him.
Yet, for all his theft of the ball in the heavy-duty mauling and its deliverance to his backs, for all the punishment, he still revels in the confrontations with the game's big men.
"I'll be there," he said, grinning at the suggestion of retirement.
"Once it gets its claws into you, there's no escape from it. It's hard to shake. I'll keep going till I drop."
Employed at the Nabiac Turf Farm with a partner and four children to nourish, Hessing represented the Mid North Coast Axemen in younger days, but for all his ball-winning capacity and superb tackling, selectors found fault with his lack of weight, the fact he was nearer 80kg than 100kg not helping.
The similarly tenacious Queensland and Australian representative breakaway, Chris Roche, had a similar problem - all heart and skill but without lead weights in his pockets he was soon omitted from the test squad.
Needless to say when Lee Sullivan coached Wallamba to the premiership double in 2017 and 2018, Hessing was at the forefront of their triumphs.
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If Hessing has locked himself in for action with the Bulls, the same cannot be said immediately of their coach.
Peter White, the former Hornsby club head coach, has announced he will not continue the role started last season.
Low on numbers initially at Wallamba, White gradually rebuilt the club from 12 male players until by the end he had nearer 30 in his squad.
The Bulls left their run late and finished third behind the unbeaten premiers, the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins, and grand finalists, Manning River Ratz.
Anticipating retirement in Bulahdelah, White unexpectedly found new employment, which requires journeying to and from Sydney.
"At this stage I am officially not coaching the team in 2020, but I really enjoyed my first year," he said.
"We will see how things materialise."
For the present, Wallamba club president and forward stalwart, Dan Sawyer, will coach the Bulls.
As for the flanker, don't be surprised if you don't see much of him against Old Bar.
Like all top forwards, he will be the invisible man, head down, butt up, toiling.
That will be "Hawk-eye" Hessing.
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