The New Year's resolution of coach Ron McCarthy is that the trio of Tongan forwards who began with the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins rugby union club last winter will not leave the region without engaging in this year's Lower Mid North Coast premiership play-offs.
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The three 'cousins' arrived in the Great Lakes last year for employment at the building project beside the Forster police station, beginning with the Dolphins at the end of the first round of the Kennards Hire premiership.
All three front rowers made an excellent impression, but when they required a fifth minor premiership game to qualify for the play-offs, they returned to Sydney to celebrate a family 21st birthday, ruling themselves out of the finals.
"They will not escape this season," was the smiling vow of Ron McCarthy, the Dolphins' seven-time premiership winning coach, this week.
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The three Tongan big men are Lorenzo 'Lolo' Latu, Folaha 'Austin' Latu and Sofilino 'Ringo' Latu.
In an unprecedented and unconnected development, a fourth Tongan new arrival last year at the Dolphins club, Si-Vauniaku 'Hau' Honema'u, became an invaluable member of the unbeaten Dolphins with his powerful running from the No 8 position.
With strapping forward, Blake Polson, Honema'u was a co-winner of the club's most exciting newcomer award.
When asked by McCarthy if he would play again this year, Honema'u replied: "You coach, I play."
The Dolphins will begin training at Peter Barclay Oval tomorrow week with a view to taking part in next month's Crescent Head Sevens tournament.
The Dolphins club committee will hold its first monthly meeting of the year on Wednesday evening at the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club, the Dolphins' major sponsor.
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