IN the days when Tuma Aisake lined up as part of the Bathurst Bulldogs pack he was the sort of player who would not be intimidated, but when it comes to coaching, well it seems he can be convinced to back down.
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While Aisake had planned to step down after coaching the Bathurst Bulldogs women to a Central West Rugby Union premiership treble, both his wife and members of the playing group insisted that was not happening.
It means Aisake will be back at the helm of the Bulldogs' Ferguson Cup side in 2020.
"I said to my wife that I might quit and she said 'You're not going to quit'. There were a few girls who said to me 'No don't do that Tuma because we've got a lot of new girls coming, so you can't do that, you can't quit'," he said.
"So I said 'Okay this is it, no more'. I've taken three years now a fourth, so this is it."
Having previously coached second grade and colts outfits for the club after he called time on a playing career that saw him awarded many of Bulldogs' major club trophies, when the women needed a coach for 2017, Aisake put his hand up.
Since then, under his guidance, the Bulldogs women have enjoyed a stellar run.
In 2017 they won their maiden women's crown, downing defending champions Cowra 15-5, while following season Bulldogs claimed the inaugural Ferguson Cup premiers after beating CSU 41-7 on grand final day.
This season, while the Ferguson Cup expanded to include even more teams and the overall standard of the competition increased, it was Bulldogs who triumphed once more. Fittingly, on Aisake's birthday in front of a bumper crowd at Ashwood Park, they downed Orange Emus 34-28.
It was the first time in over a decade that a women's team had clinched a Central West Rugby Union premiership treble. The last club to do so was the Dubbo Rhinos in 2006-07-08.
"When I first took them, I did it because no-one else wanted to do it. I just put my hand up and said 'I'll take them'," Aisake said.
"The first year they won, the girls enjoyed what happened, and then it just grew from there. It just is getting bigger and bigger.
"When I first started it was not easy, but a few of the boys helped out as I went along and it made a big difference. I really enjoyed the last three years."
One of those who have helped out Aisake with coaching is Matt Waterford, husband of this year's premiership winning skipper Mel Wateford. He too will return to guide the Bulldogs women in 2020.
"That made a big difference that Matt came in and gave me a hand, it took a lot of pressure off me. He has played for the Country Cockatoos, went to a training session with the Waratahs, he knows exactly what to do with the girls," Aisake said.
"When I asked him to help again he said 'I better ask the boss'. Mel was sitting next to him and she said 'He will do it Tuma'."
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Aisake said he has been delighted to coach some very talented female players thus far - those like Australian Sevens representative Jakiya Whitfeld. But he also gets enjoyment from fostering emerging players.
"Girls like Jakiya, they are just natural - speed wise and all that, you just can't coach that. There are only a few things you need to tell her because she knows exactly what she is doing, it makes it very easy for us, me and Matt," he said.
"But not only her, there have been some other girls that are just wow, some of the older girls are very good and we've got some new ones coming up, so it's going to be interesting to see them next year. I've been very lucky to have some good players in that three-year period."
Aside from their premiership success, Aisake said the women's involvement as a whole has made a "massive difference" to the Bathurst club.
"It helps a lot because the girls all put their bit in and it means the boys have to follow through too, you can see the difference," he said.
