THE 2014/2015 Greater Northern Rugby League Academy squad will assemble for its first session tomorrow.
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Commencing at 2.30pm, the players and parents will be inducted into the program for this season before the players will be put through some fitness testing at, and with the help of, Rural Fit at their premises in the Tamworth Sports Dome, Greater Northern regional manager Scott Bone said.
“The players will be tested in endurance, speed and strength,” Bone said.
“The testing allows the coaching staff to look at areas that the players can improve over the summer.
“The academy program has seen many players go onto higher honours, more recently players such as Matt Allwood, who debuted in the NRL with Canberra this year and Andy Saunders, who was named in the NYC team of the year and recently played for the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis.”
Recently-named Group 4 Player of the Year, Trent Hilton from Gunnedah, has been a former participant of the program, with many players playing in the Group 4, Group 19 and Group 21 grand finals in 2014 also former players in the program.
“The academy provides an opportunity for young players from throughout the region to advance their skills in rugby league,” Bone said.
“Over the course of the program they will also have access to programs which we hope will not only make them a better player on field, but also from the sidelines.”
The players will meet again in Tamworth on November 15 and 16 where they will participate in a two-day camp, where the players will go through the on-field program and also welfare sessions with former NRL players.