The Buccaneers have for the first time entered the annual 15 a-side tournament hosted by the Armidale Blues.

As of last week, 16 teams had nominated from as far as Sydney – tournament regulars Frenchs Forest and St Pat’s – and the coast – Ballina.

That grew another couple on the weekend, with both New England and Central North putting teams in for one final hit-out before the NSW Country Championships.

The interest in the tournament continues to grow, with the Buccaneers the third Central North club to nominate, along with Walcha and Inverell.

It will be the Buccaneers’ only hit-out for the season, although most of their first grade side will be match-hardened, being a part of the Central North representative

campaign.

“We’ve got good numbers, got about 75-80 players,” first grade coach Garry Walsh said.

“We’ve been averaging about 55 to training.”

He felt they were “heading in the right direction” and, while they have lost some of the faces of last year’s premiership success, they have some handy new blood such as Kiwi imports Matt Gray and Amos Ioasa, former St Albert’s captain Tom Flynn, former North first grader Conrad Starr, and Johnny Manning and Josh Stewart from across the river.

Starr is returning after four seasons in Sydney with North and is one of several former juniors now part of the first grade ranks.

The juniors are a strong focus of the club and a number of former juniors are currently excelling at higher levels.

Last season Patrick Ryan, Michael Snowden, AJ Barbara, Damien Reti, Andrew Collins and Tim Collins played in Sydney, with Ryan part of the Shute Shield-winning Sydney University side.

This season he has been signed by the Waratah Academy, while Reti has been selected in the Australian Barbarians side after some first grade appearances for Manly last year.

Snowden appears to have cemented his spot as the Eastwood first grade half-back after numerous runs during the past two seasons.