INVERELL halfback Will McAuliffe makes his long- awaited “debut” in this season’s CRL Junior Country Championship clash with Newcastle Rebels in Cessnock this afternoon.
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The talented number seven injured an ankle before the Championships began in Armidale and has been forced to sit out the first two rounds.
However he is right to go, said coach Peter Stevens, who is delighted to have him back.
“He is a talented young player,” Stevens said.
“We started James Fisk in the halves last week but he’s able to go back to hooker now.
“And Hayden (Loughrey) could be back.
“He will train with us Friday night but won’t play unless he’s 100 per cent.”
It means Bailey Taylor has been named at fullback and the young Muswellbrook back will be a threat there as well with his brilliant acceleration.
“It’s going to be a good test for us,” Stevens said.
“We don’t have to win, we’re already in the semis, but we’re going there to win.
“And we want to win to finish top of our pool and take some momentum into the semi-final at Dubbo the week after.
“It’s also going to be a good test of our defence.
“Newcastle will be a big side and we will probably be giving away 12 months as well,” he said.
“Most of our kids are just 17.”
While the 18s are brimming with confidence after two good wins, the 16s are also playing some outstanding football for coach Gary Jones.
He has given backrower Zach Parker the weekend off to overcome a niggling shoulder injury allowing Max Greacen, who captained the Group 21 Under 18s to a Greater Northern Championship in Tamworth last month, a return to the squad.
Singleton’s Tyler Campbell, 18th man for the first two games, also gets a run.
Both teams were training at Scone Park last night.
The 16s begin the third round match-ups at Cessnock at noon with the 18s timed for a 1.20pm kickoff.
GREATER NORTHERN SQUADS
GN TIGERS UNDER 18: 1 Bailey Taylor (Muswellbrook), 2 Jake Saunders (North Tamworth), 3 Billy Stewart (Inverell), 4 Lachlan Duwakin (Scone), 5 Paul Jackson (Uralla), 6 James Bradley (Singleton), 7 Will McAuliffe (Inverell), 8 Alec Cocking (North Tamworth), 9 Ryan Ingram (North Tamworth), 10 Jack Cameron (North Tamworth), 11 Lewis Hamilton (Singleton), 12 Jack Patterson (North Tamworth), 13 James Fisk (North Tamworth), 14 Joaby Stevens (Muswellbrook), 15 Elijah Rasiga (Armidale), 16 Beau Hargrave (Armidale), 17 Sam Ballinger (Inverell), 18 Jack Rumsby (Oxley Diggers). Coach: Peter Stevens.
GN TIGERS UNDER 16: Jordan Allan (Scone), Max Altus (Farrer), Hayden Bourke (Singleton), Cody Byrne (Farrer), Tyler Campbell (Singleton), Lachlan Chard (Glen Innes), Mitchell Dykes (Scone), Bailey Ellis (Singleton), Ben Fechner (Scone), Alex Fisher (Glen Innes), Lachlan Fry (Singleton), Max Greacen (Denman), Alek Hall (Farrer), Luke Howes (Farrer), Bailey Lennox (Gunnedah), Steven McGrady (Inverell), Zac Parker (Farrer), Tom Pickersgill (Scone), Dylan Porter (Farrer), Koen Reiri (North Tamworth). Coach: Gary Jones.
