The three Tongan front rowers who descended on Forster Tuncurry rugby union club last winter have moved on to their next building project in Sydney, but in their place the Dolphins have been fortunate to gain a hefty Fijian for their scrum, Atu Katonitabua.
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The 110kg backrower arrived early after befriending the dynamic Tongan No 8, 'Hau' Honema'u, whose stirring performances won him the club's 'most exciting player' award with another forward, Blake Polson, at last year's presentation night at the Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club.
Big, cheerful Atu has been a breath of fresh air in his brief period with the club.
Working in the coal mines in the Muswellbrook area had not proved his favourite employment and he moved to the Great Lakes to became a 'sous chef' or apprentice chef at Woolworths Forster.
Coal mining has its hazards, but so too does a kitchen for a footballer with a big appetite. Atu found himself in temptation's way with its variety of cakes and sweetmeats on the shelves - wedding cakes, birthday cakes, celebration cakes, all dangerous, body-fattening food for a footballer.
Intent on developing his fitness and not falling victim to a footballer's worst enemy - being overweight - Atu began preparing for the rugby season with a vow: "Bake the cakes, don't eat 'em!"
At this stage with teams restricted to no-contact training for the Lower Mid North Coast rugby premiership, the Dolphins have yet to move back into their clubhouse for the first time since they completed their unbeaten premiership season in last year's grand final against the Manning River Ratz.
As with all of his rivals, the Dolphins' coach, Ron McCarthy, is still mystified as to whether the minor premiership will kick off as scheduled on July 11.
But being the perfectionist he is with seven premierships under his belt, McCarthy has been in touch with players to establish whether they are preparing individually for the abridged Kennards Hire premiership.
The Dolphins' captain, Mark Hagarty, for one, worked out on weights, only for his gymnasium to be closed down due to the plague.
Coach McCarthy had some exciting new material trialling well before the coronavirus struck, backs Joel Wilson and Kobi Simon and hooker Kyle Cullen.
Council embargoes have placed limitations on playing fields and with the closure of hotels and licensed clubs, sponsorship has been seriously affected and club funds jeopardised.
If crowds are still barred from attending games and canteen and liquor sales forbidden, the likelihood is the competition will be abandoned for the year.
Yet, through the powerhouse impetus of Peter V'Landys, the National Rugby League has conducted an impressive round of competition games - without crowds - while rugby union clubs Australia-wide have meekly held back and awaited permission to begin full-on body contact in training sessions.
The irony is painful.
But where there is a will, there is a way.
A group of senior soccer players involved themselves in a game between two six-member teams on a reduced field at Forster's Boronia Park last weekend, tackling forbidden, and had the time of their lives.
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