Jock Brazel's rugby league journey is going from strength-to-strength.
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Just shy of his 18th birthday, the Moree local has earned one of the highest accolades in the sport for his age - being named in the Australian schoolboys merit team.
Under normal circumstances, the Australian schoolboys would undergo an overseas tour but COVID-19 has prevented this.
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Nonetheless, Brazel is very proud to be named alongside the country's best schoolboy rugby league players.
"To be able to make the Australian school boys team is a dream come true," he said.
"It is truly an honour to be able to announced in the squad.
"I guess it's a bit disappointing to not being able to tour but still an awesome experience."
This year alone, Brazel played for the Parramatta Eels in the SG Ball Cup and the winning City team in the under 18 City versus Country fixture.
The Group 19 junior attends Parramatta Marist Brothers, a breeding ground for NRL players.
Brazel earned selection in the schoolboys team after a standout effort playing for NSW Combined Catholic Colleges against the Combined Independent and High Schools teams.
"I was lucky enough to play for NSWCCC where we won against both teams," he sad.
"Queensland had the same kind of tournament and the selector picked his Australian squad out of them teams that played within the tournaments.
"After City, we went straight into NSWCCC training preparing for the [schoolboys] tournament.
"We were lucky to get the tournament completed before lockdown."
Brazel's huge year in the sport didn't finish there.
The Parramatta Eels have flagged a longer team interest in the junior and have extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2024 season.
"With lockdown I've just been training and school work preparing for pre-season when ever that goes ahead ensuring I'm ready when it does kickoff," he said.
"I am currently resigning with Parramatta on a three-year deal with some great plans for the future."