Rugby League: Dan Kelly ready to step up for Bears after suiting up for Tigers

The Oxley graduate last year got his first taste of senior footy with the Greater Northern Tigers' during their recent Country Championship campaign and is now itching to make his senior debut for North Tamworth.

Luckily he won't have too long to wait with the reigning Group 4 champions kicking-off their 2021 campaign at Jack Woolaston Oval today with a trial against Terrigal.

They were scheduled to play Maitland last Saturday but had to withdraw from that with a handful of players suiting up for the Tigers in their clash with the Western Rams.

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Kelly was among them after getting a call-up to the squad. The baby of the Tigers' side, he hadn't originally put his name down, not feeling he was ready for the rigours of senior representative footy.

But Tigers coach Brad McManus thought a little differently, and short a couple of forwards decided to give the young gun a shot.

He had seen a bit of him through the Tigers 16s and 18s and also at the Bears.

"I thought he'd done well the last couple of years so I thought I'd reward him with a game in the seniors," he said.

Kelly repaid his faith.

"For a 19-year old kid playing seniors he did well," McManus said.

His interest was two-fold.

Also coaching the Bears this season, he said Kelly is one of "probably three or four" players out of last year's under-18s side he is looking to blood this year.

For Kelly, who is studying real estate through TAFE, being involved with the Tigers was a good learning experience.

"I haven't played a proper game of actual men's yet so it was good to just get this big hit-up out of the road and then go into club footy and hopefully have a good year," he said.

The Bears have lost the likes of Keirin Fisher (halfback), Shane Wadwell (prop), Nic Dobson (lock), Richard Clegg (Wyong) and Andrew Moodie (Pirates) but are "poking along alright" McManus said.

"We've got a good mix there of youth and old, so I think we'll go alright," he said.

Saturday's trial starts at 5pm.

The Bears are one several clubs in trial mode this weekend.

The Kootingal Roosters head up the New England Highway to tackle the Guyra Super Spuds while the Boggabri Kangaroos head out to Coonabarabran to play the Coonabarabran Unicorns.

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