Tough year on and off field for Maitland rugby union | PHOTOS

Mercury sports reporter Josh Callinan looks back at season 2015 from the rugby union ranks.

It was an injury that rocked the Maitland community.

Dislocated vertebrae and damaged spinal cord while playing a game of sport on a Saturday afternoon. 

In the closing stages of the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union second grade grand final a replacement player was called onto No.2 Sportsground but never walked off.

Maitland Blacks hooker Dom Punch remained motionless on the ground ­following a collapsed scrum and was taken directly to John Hunter Hospital for emergency surgery.

He was then airlifted to Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital, where he stayed in the intensive care unit for 50 days.

After being transferred to the spinal ward Punch was quickly moved to ­continue his treatment at Ryde Rehabilitation Centre.

Punch, who has now spent four months away from home, has movement in his arms, shoulders and wrists.

The 27-year-old uses an electric wheelchair for mobility, which he controls with the palm of his hand. 

While in the state capital, various fundraising efforts have been arranged to assist with both his immediate and future expenses, including a sportsman’s lunch attended by more than 700 people and collecting $200,000.

Punch’s injury followed a near-death experience for club junior Nate Wetini at a pre-season working bee in Lorn.

Wetini was struck in the head with a metal pole before being rushed to John Hunter Hospital for emergency surgery.

Somehow the six-year-old survived and escaped serious injury, but ongoing medical costs were aided with a fundraiser attended by former Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen.

And on the eve of the season club stalwart and secretary Trevor Holden died after suffering a heart attack.

The dedicated community worker was aged 65.

Nick Davidson achieved a career goal when he was awarded the Anderson Medal in September.

The 26-year-old flanker scored the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union first grade best and fairest prize despite the Maitland Blacks failing to make the semi-finals.

He followed in the footsteps of Adam Perkins, Tim O’Toole, Dave Bevan, Ian Gollan and Peter Perkins as Maitland players to receive the accolade. Davidson also played for the Hunter Barbarian and Emerging Wildfires squads in a post-season representative program. 

The Maitland Blacks enjoyed ­limited success on the field this year with first grade finishing seventh on the competition ladder.

Second grade were defeated by club champions Wanderers in the grand final, while thirds and colts both made the semi-finals.

Todd Bowd was at the helm as coach in 2015, but a combined team of Mick Hickling and Ryan McCormack will take over in the top grade next season.

Maitland Blacks junior Jeremy Tilse made his debut in the Sydney to Hobart this year but his journey on Brindabella was short lived.

The “people’s boat” was forced to retire with sail damage less than 24 hours after sailing out of Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day. 

Maitland Blacks junior Nic White endured a roller coaster ride in the lead up to the rugby World Cup.

The 25-year-old halfback appeared out of the selection picture and had signed a three-year deal with Montpellier in France before a match-winning cameo for the Wallabies against the All Blacks put him back in the frame.

White came off the bench and scored 10 points in as many minutes to help Australia win both the Test in Sydney and the Rugby Championship.

But it wasn’t enough to get the nod from the man who mattered most and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika opted for Will Genia, Nick Phipps and Matt Giteau as cover. 

The Wallabies eventually finished runners-up in the United Kingdom-based tournament and White, who has declared his desire to represent Australia in a World Cup one day, began his European stint.

The Maitland Blacks finished the year on a high with a $70,000 state government grant being used to upgrade the electricity transformer at Marcellin Park. 

The club’s lights had been struggling for the last two years.