By Geoff Newling
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ALEK Hall and Zac Parker will be part of a Greater Northern Tigers Under 16 pack intent on dominating its East Coast Dolphin rivals at Armidale’s Bellevue Oval today.
Both are students at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School but Alek hails from Quirindi and Zac from Warialda.
Both are small but proud towns with rich rugby league histories.
Zac is in Year 10, a big 16-year--old second rower who has come through the Greater Northern Academy.
“It’s been great help to me,” he said before starting last Friday’s training session.
Alek is also in Year 10 at Farrer and turns 16 on Anzac day.
He isn’t as big as Zac but will pack down in the front row, a mobile young man.
“It’s really good to be in this side,” he said before the training session in Tamworth.
He too has come through the GN Academy.
“And yes it has been a major support as well.
“It has helped me a lot. I’ve learnt a lot of new skills and defence too. I’m keen.”
He wants to play well and while he’s a small prop he has speed and footwork to negate the size factor.
And the Dolphins will be big.
“They will be pretty big blokes, that’s for sure,” Alek said.
“I’ll try to make up for (the lack of size) it.
“We’ve got a good side too. We trained really well.”
GN coach Gary Jones is excited with the potential of his side.
“They trained well last Friday,” he said this week.
“They surprised me a bit but I am really happy with the way they are looking. They also went well in an opposed session with the 18s. They are coming together nicely. We aren’t a huge side though and that could hurt us. But it just comes down to us playing well.”
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 Lenox (Gunnedah), Steven McGrady (Inverell), Zac Parker (Farrer), Tom Pickersgill (Scone), Dylan Porter (Farrer), Koen Reiri (North Tamworth). Coach: Gary Jones.