Not the scaly variety immortalised in the 2003 film but in the form of a powerhouse number eight.

Sanimo Navatu – Nimo for short – was one of the key proponents of the Magpies’ destruction of Quirindi on Saturday.

On top of his three tries, the Fijian’s general play showed he’s going to be a real asset.

As is winger Esavo Tiko.

He also crossed for a hat-trick and was slippery out on the right wing.

It was Tiko actually who suggested Navatu come to the Magpies.

“I was down the coast at Gosford,” Navatu said.

He was playing for Central Coast there.

The Fijian has also spent time  at Muswellbrook and  Dubbo during his eight years out in Australia, with Tamworth the latest stop on something of a world rugby tour.

“I’ve played rugby everywhere,” he said.

He rattled off Singapore and New Zealand among the places he’s played.

Saturday was “a good start”, he said and an enjoyable introduction.

“It was good. The fellas were good,” he said.

“We started well and carried on.”

The signs were ominous for the Lions when just a few minutes in Tiko found a bit of room and scooted over.

Minutes later the chant “Go Nimo” went up – not for the last time – as the number eight crashed over, again after some good continuity and sleight of hand.

There was a lot more of that to come.

The forwards set the foundation with the likes of Navatu, captain Harry Veitch and Rhys Duncan causing the Lions headaches all day.

“When we do well in the forwards the backline does well,” Navatu said.

They were well led around by Adam Penman and revelled in the amount of ball they were supplied.

Starting for a rare time in first grade at five-eighth, Penman fed the backline well.

“Today was his test and he did well,” new Magpies coach Kevin Rooney said.

Rooney was overall very pleased with what he saw.

He spoke before the game of Saturday setting the bar.

On paper the bar looks high but that’s not what Rooney is measuring from.

“We won’t look at the scoreboard to be a variable in setting the bar,” he said.

“It’ll be attitude.”

Not that he had any complaint on that score.

Navatu’s efforts saw him pick up the one best and fairest point behind every-present breakaway, new captain  Veitch.

The backrow looms as being a real area of strength for the Magpies this season.

As well as adding some needed bulk to the pack, Navatu gives the back three an arguably better balance with the workhorse (similar to Veitch) Duncan moving to six, leaving Navatu to shoulder more of the crash-it-up game.

“They complement each other,” Rooney said.

Neither he nor Navatu are getting too carried away though and know a big test awaits them this weekend in the form of cross-town rivals Pirates.

“Next week is a big game,” Navatu said. “There’s still mistakes we need to work on.”