ZACH TAYLOR is a talented young footballer who will complete his Greater Northern Academy season in Tamworth today.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The young Singleton Greyhound will play for the GNA Cubs in games against the North Coast and Northern Rivers academies at Jack Woolaston Oval and Scully Park.
The second game will be a curtain-raiser to the NRL pre-season trial between Newcastle Knights and Canberra Raiders.
150 players and staff will converge on Jack Woolaston Oval this morning in final hit-outs for all three academies.
The day will kick off at 9.30am with the Northern Rivers and North Coast academies taking each other on in the Under 16s and Under 17s (10.30am kick off), before the local Greater Northern Academy will take on the North Coast.
The GNA Cubs will play North Coast U16s at 11.30am, followed by the Tigers taking on the North Coast U17s at 12.30pm.
CRL regional manager Scott Bone said the games in Tamworth were a great opportunity for all involved.
“The games are a great gauge for the coaches to see the skills that have been learned by the players over the summer months can be put into match pressure situations,” Bone said.
“The games create much interest from NRL clubs but also locally, with coaches from the regional sides being in attendance to see what talent will be available when sides are selected in months to come.”
The Greater Northern and Northern Rivers academies will then get the opportunity to play before the Newcastle Knights and Canberra Raiders trial to be held at Scully Park later in the afternoon.
The GNA Cubs will take on the Northern Rivers U16s from 4.15pm, before the Tigers take on the Northern Rivers U17s at 5.30pm.
“For all the players they will now return to their club rugby league, in the hope of making their Group representative sides to vie for positions in the Greater Northern or East Coast regional sides for the Country Championships which will be held in June,” Bone said.