Mitchell Watts and Harry Snook’s appetite for rugby as immense as their talent.
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The Calrossy school-mates will this weekend in Sydney be playing for a Generation Blue Under-16s jersey.
Snook will line up for the NSW Schools 1 side while Watts will don NSW Country colours as over 90 of the most talented players in the state play for a berth in one of the two teams to compete at the National Championships on the Gold Coast in October.
For Snook it is a bit of a ‘blue’ lining after being over-looked for the Country squad.
Admittedly disappointed, it lit a bit of a fire in his belly and he channeled his energies into making it through the schools pathway.
The first step for that was selection in the Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools (AICES) team for the NSW Schoolboys Championships.
At the suggestion of a couple of his Calrossy teachers Snook trialed at fullback, and starred.
More predominantly a five-eighth, he thrived with the freedom of 15. In one of their games he scored an 80m try.
“I’ve really enjoyed playing there, having more time to run and time with ball in hand,” he said.
Snook, who is also handy with a Sherrin and was last year invited to a training session at the Sydney Swans’ Coffs Harbour academy, is the first Calrossy player to make the NSW Schools side, and likewise from AICES.
He was at the Longyard having a hit of golf when he learned of his selection.
“Mum called, she had just got off the phone,” he said.
Initially they just said he’d made the squad, they didn’t specify whether it was the 1s or 2s. Then he found it it was the 1s side.
“I was pretty excited about that. I was hopeful but I wasn’t expecting it,” he said.
He said it means a lot to represent his state.
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Watts has been similarly driven on by selection disappointment. After missing out on the Country side last year he really worked hard over the off-season to try and improve his fitness, and by virtue of that his work-rate.
It paid off, although he was surprised when he found out he’d made the squad.
“I didn’t think I’d make it. I didn’t play overly well,” he said.
So unconvinced was he that he’d done enough that he didn’t believe it when the phone call came through while he was on his way home from Bathurst.
That wasn’t the end of the hard work though with the side to play on the weekend selected from an initial squad of 40.
Something he’s desired for almost 18 months, Watts said to pull on that Country jersey will be “pretty special”.
His Junior Cockatoos are set to tackle Snook’s NSW side first-up on Saturday.
It will somewhat of a strange scenario for the good friends and the banter is already flowing.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Snook said, adding that he doesn’t think they’ve ever played against each other before.
Watts also played for AICES, who had their best campaign ever.
They beat the Independent Schools Association (ISA) 1s side for the first time, and should have got the better of the 2s as well but had to settle for a draw after conceding a late try.
Late lapses were a bit of a consistent story. Against Combined Catholic Colleges they led 15-nil with five minutes to go, Snook said, before holding on for a 15-14 win.
The Gen Blue tournament will be the start of three weekends of tough footy for Watts.
“I’ve got the schoolboys this weekend. Then next weekend I go down to Canberra and we (Country) play the Brumbies,” he said.
“Then we’ve got City v Country.”
The annual battle will be this year played in Tamworth.
