IT’S been a big week for Duri Public School.
First the news came through that it wouldn’t lose a teacher, then yesterday the Paramatta Eels dropped by.
Eels Ben Smith, Reni Maitua, Jacob Loko and Rory Brien visited the school as part of the NRL One Community Carnival tour.
It was their final stop on a tour that has taken them to various schools from Boggabri to the outskirts of Tamworth over the past two days.
Yesterday, after a charity breakfast at Gunnedah South, they stopped in at some of the area’s smaller schools – Curlewis, Werris Creek, Currabubula and Duri – where they were greeted by a sea of enthusiastic faces.
Their visit to Duri came fresh from the news that the school will be able to retain it’s second full-time teacher after three new students enrolled, and relieving principal Craig McDonald said it was fantastic to have the Eels there.
“I’m really impressed they came to our small school,” McDonald said.
“Normally we don’t get these sort of things.”
Five-year old Blake Christie got to get up close to them, as our picture shows.
He’s just started school and is about to play his first season of footy.
“It’s been pretty exciting,” the young forward said of seeing the Eels.
Cowra-raised Brien has enjoyed his couple of days.
“It’s been really good,” he said.
“Obviously I’m a country boy and I like getting back out to the country.”
They’ve had Smith too to show them the local sights.
The Caroona-product has enjoyed getting back to his roots and is looking forward to a good season.
For him it gets under way on Saturday night, when the Eels face the West Tigers in the first of two trial games.
The other three are all on the injured list.
Brien’s been named to start in the second row in a game that will see Chris Sandow making his debut in the blue and gold and comes at the end of a “tough” pre-season.
The Eels started training at the end of October.
“It’s been a long pre-season and you get to the point where you’re busting to get on the field and play,” Smith said.
There is a buzz about the season ahead.
“Everyone’s excited, especially with the new signings we have,” he said.
They include Sandow, Ben Roberts and Tonga brothers Willie and Esi.
Willie isn’t right for Saturday but Esi has been named in the centres.
“We’ve bought well in the key positions that we needed,” Smith said.
They’ll hopefully provide a bit more spark.
“Defensively we were pretty sound, but we couldn’t capitalise on our opportunities last year,” Smith said.
“Chrissy and Benny Roberts should take some of the pressure off Jarryd (Hayne).”
He’s looking forward to seeing them play together.
That will happen for the first time on Saturday night.
“Being the first trial game it will be good to blow the cobwebs out and fine-tune things,” Smith said.
“The halves (Roberts and Sandow) it will be the first game they’ve played together.”
The Eels will have another hit-out against Penrith the following Friday night before kicking-off their premiership campaign against the Brisbane Broncos on March 2, which they will do with the belief that they have a side more than capable of making the semis.
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