NEWLY appointed Nelson Bay Gropers Rugby men’s coach Zion Takarua was at his innovative best for a recent pre-season training session at Bill Strong Oval.

The club legend opted to diversify his training by injecting a bit of fun into the usual hard slog of shedding the extra festive season kilos – swapping footballs and tackling bags for some physical labouring work on maintaining the field.

Players arrived at the New Year training session to witness three large piles of topsoil waiting to be spread over some low-lying areas on the northern end of the ground.

In addition, the oval had just been freshly mown and there were lines of grass that needed tidying up.

With a storm pending, the personality coach joined prop Nathan McLeay in rallying the troops by asking them to bring along shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows “for a training session with a difference.”

A big roll-up of men’s and women’s players relished the task of getting the “Groperdome” set up in top shape for pre-season training and trial matches – demonstrating typical club spirit to complete the work in record time.

So impressed with his charges was the good-natured Takarua, that he tacked on an official training run straight after the maintenance task.

Nelson Bay Rugby Club’s pre-season build-up has featured several new men’s and women’s player recruits for the 2025 Hunter Suburban Rugby competition.

Club training sessions have reverted back to Tuesday and Thursday nights at Bill Strong Oval commencing from 6.30pm.

The Gropers first official trial match will be at Bill Strong Oval on Saturday 1 March, against Manly Savers who are a quality Sydney subdistricts team.

By Chris KARAS