NORTHERN Division's four Country Under 18 representatives have the task in front of them when they tackle Queensland Country Under 19s at Suncorp Stadium (old Lang Park) this afternoon.
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The annual representative clash, one of two curtain-raisers to tonight's State of Origin, pits the younger NSW side against its older Queensland foes.
"The extra one year maturity makes a big difference at this age level," NSW Country Under 18 coach Mitch Luka said yesterday.
"But we have a good side, the team is gelling well.
"We had a very good hit-out against Combined University Colts at Wynnum Manly on Sunday and won that 48-12.
"We've trained well since and the boys are about to head off to Origin training now," he said yesterday afternoon.
Luka said Illawarra West's Rhys Hanbury and Werris Creek's Peter Taylor (captain) were outstanding in Sunday's 36-point win against a side of 18 to 20-year-olds.
"But all the side performed well, all of them came up well.
"It's a well balanced side."
Apart from Taylor, Northern Division's Will Bullock (Uralla), Alex McCosker (Inverell) and Joe Wilson (West Tamworth) are in the squad.
Chairman of selectors is Bathurst's Paul Rossiter.
"It's pretty hard moulding a side together from scratch on Sunday," Rossiter said
yesterday.
"They only got together Sunday, played a game and have had two training runs.
"We're pretty lucky a lot of them know each other and there is a pretty good spread across the divisions.
"But playing against 19s will be tough."
While the NSW Country Under 18s play Queensland Country Under 19s at 4.25pm , Farrer schoolboy Tom Learoyd represents the State under 18s in the main curtain-raiser this evening.
o The NSW Country senior squad assembles in Narrabri on Sunday to prepare for a two-game Queensland tour.
It plays a regional side in St George next Tuesday night and then a June 21 Test against Queensland Country at Roma.
Cobar's Scott Mieni is the coach. Scone hooker John Johnson is the lone Northern Division representative.
NSW COUNTRY UNDER 18s: 1 Joe Wilson (West Tamworth), 2 Kyle Shepard (Picton), 3 David Milne (Griffith), 4 Alex McCosker (Inverell), 5 Clint Crispin (Newcastle Wests), 6 Peter Taylor captain (Werris Creek), 7 Daniel Stuart (Bathurst), 8 Sam Parr (Kiama), 9 Joe Cudmore (Port Macquarie), 10 Will Bullock (Uralla), 11 Rhys Hanbury (Illawarra Wests), 12 Willie Jones (West Wyalong), 13 Peter Mannion (Young), 14 Ben Holden (Forster), 15 Saione Ahomana (Griffith Waratahs), 16 Kurt Evans (Newcastle Wests), 17 Dean Wendt (Wyong). Coach - Mitch Luka, managers Robin Harley, Murray Turner, trainers - Graham Hawke, Shane Townsend.
