Coach predicts super future for Hunter Wildfire player

Lock Karen Nabalarua, prop Janitta Kareta and powerhouse No.8 Ashley Marsters have arrived from the Melbourne Rebels, while home-grown product Kaitlan Leaney is in the NSW Waratahs squad.

And Wildfires coach Brooke Saunders is confident that Bradford will be the next cab off the rank.

Since making the switch from the centres to the back-row midway through last season, Bradford has elevated her game to the next level.

"Emma has been playing out of her skin," Saunders said. "She is a lighter forward but she is very strong. She is a good ball-carrier, tackles well, her work in the lineout is great, she sees space ... the fact she has played AON sevens has helped her develop into an attacking forward.

"She has represented NSW Country but hasn't played Super W or anything higher. If she keeps training hard and playing hard that will come."

A President's XV will be the sixth side, joining the Waratahs, Red, Brumbies, Rebels and Force, in a modified tournament-style Super W to be played over 10 days in Coffs Harbour from June 19. The Rebels trio, plus Leaney and Ash Walker (NSW)) and Susannah Cooke (Brumbies) are locked in.

Presidents XV coach Inge Visser was at Wildfires training last week and Saunders said a number of her players were being looked at.

Bradford said she had learned a lot from the Rebels trio. "As soon as they came to training they started giving input," she said. "I'd like to go down that track towards Super W. I just have to keep working hard. The move to the back-row has been great. Beforehand when I was in the centres I used to hold back and wait for the game to come to me."

Saunders, a former lock, played for the Rebels and has a strong relationship with coach Alana Thomas.

"I was asked to bring in some players from outside the region to add some experience to the group and also ensure we didn't put too big a drain on the local competition," Saunders said. "I spoke to Alana and floated the idea of players coming up here. The girls live in a Wildfires house with some of the male players. One of the sponsors, Maxwell Recruitment has arranged work for them."

After opening the season with losses to Sydney Uni 1 (31-0) and Easts (15-10), the Wildfires drew 15-all with Warringah before big wins over Gordon (55-14) and Sydney Uni 2 (54-8).

Next are Randwick at Bernie Curran Oval on Saturday at 3.45pm.

"Randwick will be tough," Bradford said. "It's great that we don't have to travel all the way to Sydney to play those teams. It is really good that the Wildfires have a chance to be seen."