IT’S HOG HEAVEN FOR RUGBY DADS

IT’S A FAMILY ORIENTATED CLUB AND THERE’S HEAPS OF US FATHERS STILL PLAYING SENIOR FOOTY TE ARI MAHURI

AS a budding youngster, Te Ari Mahuri got the chance to play rugby alongside his father Ross.

It’s a dream situation that a stack of dads at the Helensvale Hogs hope to make a reality one day.

The Gold Coast District Rugby Union club position themselves as a family operation and have the father-son combinations to back it up.

“It’s a family orientated club and there’s heaps of us fathers still playing senior footy. It’s good to be around our kids who are playing as well,” Mahuri said.

Given that he is 32, it may be a stretch for Mahuri to play alongside his five-year-old son Brooklyn down the track, though the competition does have the likes of Pila Fifita playing into their 40s.

“I played premier rugby with my old man back in New Zealand but he was a lot younger. It’s a big ask,” Mahuri (pictured) laughed.

“It was awesome because I was coached through all the age groups with him and to actually play a game with him was pretty special.”

His first grade Hogs teammate Samson Mariner is another in that boat.

Mariner, also 32, joined the club from Surfers Paradise this season.

“I wanted to get into coaching too because I’m at the end of my rugby career. I wanted to give back and share my knowledge with the juniors,” he said. “I’m also trying to referee and just give back to the community and the Hogs are a family club where you can do that.”

The No.8’s son Noah plays under-10s while his daughter Scarlet plays in the under-7s team he mentors.

“It’s just teaching them the fundamentals of the game and hopefully when they grow older I can say I coached him or I coached her,” Mariner said of the experience he labelled challenging and rewarding.