NSW Country will take under-16 and under-18 teams to England this year and as many as five Greater Northern Tigers under-16 players could be in line for a call-up.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That's the assessment of Tigers under-16 coach Steve Haylen heading into this side's Andrew Johns Cup knockout semi-final clash against the unbeaten Western Rams in Forster on Sunday.
Haylen believes his young charges could give their representative causes a boost by beating the defending champions and making the final.
"I have no doubt the further we go, the more players will warrant making the [NSW Country] side," he said.
"It's going to be great motivational thing for the boys. I think there are at least four or five of our boys on the [selection] borderline now."
While he didn't want to name names, he believes second-rower Luke Smith is one of his key players.
"Luke doesn't get the accolades that a few others do but my stats man tells me he is one of our best workers," he said. "Luke makes a good 20 tackles a game and 17 or 18 hit ups as well."
READ ALSO:
Haylen has named a near full-strength side but is waiting on talented Tamworth prop Mark Simon to overcome a knee injury.
Simon, a 16-year-old Farrer student, has been named 18th man and will be given right up to kick-off to prove his fitness, Haylen confirmed.
"We'll run the gauntlet for Mark," Haylen said. "We also have big Jordan Leota back. We've moved Daltyn McCartney back to fullback and Latrell Newman onto the wing.
"Campbell Watchirs also goes back to the centres. We played him in the second-row against the Titans but I believe he plays his best in the centres.
"Everyone else is rearing to go. The Rams are going to be tough and we know they are going to be a big challenge. But we might have something to unsettle them a bit."
Tigers: 1 Daltyn McCartney (Denman), 2 Latrell Newman (Moree), 3 Hayden Bull (Scone), 4 Campbell Watchirs (Inverell), 5 Brayden Talbott-Hatch (Gunnedah), 6 Ethan Antzakles (Farrer), 7 Pichai Dixon (Aberdeen), 8 Mark Simon (Farrer), 9 Riley Reid (Dungowan), 10 Jeffrey Harvey (Narrabri), 11 Jock Brazel capt (Moree), 12 Luke Smith (Scone), 13 Sam Fechner (Scone), 14 Blake Johnston (Scone), 15 Lachlan Smith (Farrer), 17 Ryan Kelly-Payne (Gunnedah), 18 Nicholas Laurie (Scone), 20 Jordan Leota (Dungowan). Coach: Steve Haylen.
Rams: 1 Braye Porter (St Johns Dubbo), 2 Mitchel Wilson (Wellington), 3 Josh Belfanti (Bathurst St Pats), 4 Zac Williams (St Johns Dubbo), 5 Brandon Hamilton (South Dubbo), 6 Kyle Mawhinney (Parkes Marist), 7 Cooper Egan (Lithgow), 8 Jackson Gersbach (Cabonne), 9 Fletcher Haycock (St Johns Dubbo), 10 Bill Statham (Cowra), 11 Aston Warwick (South Dubbo), 12 Matthew Noakes (Red Bend), 13 Finnley Neilsen capt (Parkes Marist), 14 Riley Wake (St Johns Dubbo), 15 Jesse Shorter (Red Bend), 16 John Mackay (Bathurst Panthers), 17 Sam Raumati (Red Bend), 18 Kaeden Dickson (Orange CYMS). Coach: Tony Woolnough.
