FARRER Memorial Agricultural High School player Tom Learoyd has received an added incentive to pummel the Inverell defence in today's Nutri Grain Cup clash in Inverell.
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The giant back-rower has been selected to play in a NSW Under 17 possibles/probables trial at Leichardt Oval, Balmain in Sydney on Saturday.
It's a major reward for teenager, who is on a Broncos scholarship.
If selected in the NSW Under 17 side, he will play against Queensland Under 17s in the curtain-raiser to the second State of Origin Clash.
"It's a great acknowledgement of Tom's ability and hard work," Farrer coach Bill Petterson said this week.
"It came out of the blue and is a great reward for him."
Today, Learoyd will lead spearhead Farrer against Inverell in their knockout clash, back up on Saturday for the NSW Under 17s trial and then head to Gilgandra next Monday and Tuesday for the Greater Western Region trials with the north-west side.
"On Wednesday we play Tamworth High in a University Shield game," Petterson said.
"That's an awful lot of football, we hope he doesn't burn himself out."
Learoyd, Peter Taylor and the scrumbase trio of Nathan Handley (five-eighth), Andrew Beer (halfback) and Josh Laurie (lock) will play key roles against Inverell today.
Inverell has its own stars and will be more than competitive.
Northern Division representative Lucas Thom played strongly against North Coast as a reserve hooker last Saturday and will be heading to Lismore on Friday for a Country Championship clash with Northern Rivers.
He plays halfback today, coach Peter Dal Santo said, while Northern Division team-mate, Nick Doig, is at lock.
"Lucas will give us good direction around the park," Dal Santo said as he conceded his side would start as underdogs from the 1pm kickoff on Inverell High School's AE Foott Memorial Oval.
"The boys are keen," Dal Santo said.
"They are certainly up for the
challenge."
Inverell had a bye in the first round, received a forfeit from Moree in the second and then defeated Macintyre High School (10-6) in the third round.
INVERELL HIGH: 1 Brad Charter, 2 Matt Krug, 3 Jeremy Pilcher, 4 Grant Youll, 5 Athol Roberts, 6 Ben Hiscox, 7 Lucas Thom, 8 Scott Simpson, 9 Jed Walburn, 10 Nathan Callister, 11 Nathan Bell (co-capt), 12 Nathan Searle, 13 Nick Doig (co-capt), 14 Beau Ridgewell, 15 Chris Marsh, 16 John Jerrard, 17 Jason Nicholls. Coach - Peter Dal Santo.
FARRER: 1 Nathan Morris, 2 Cameron Trump, 3 Peter Taylor, 4 Ben Eddy, 5 Scott McKenzie, 6 Nathan Handley, 7 Andrew Beer, 8 Daniel Everingham, 9 Cameron Beard, 10 Andrew Warden, 11 Tom Learoyd, 12 Conrad Starr, 13 Josh Laurie, 14 Ben Thomas, 15 John Harris, 16 Jason Allwood, 17 Luke Palmer, 18 Brendan Hunt, 19 Douglas Biffin. Coach - Bill Petterson.
