Rugby league: Glen Innes teenager Kaleb Hope played for NSW Country

Hope played the final 10 minutes for the under 18 country team in Saturday's 30-10 loss against City but in the lead up he had the chance to learn from the game's greats.

Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Trent Barrett put the young squads through their paces at NSW Rugby League's Centre of Excellence in the lead-up to the games.

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Hope described the interaction as "bloody unreal."

"It was amazing. Brad Fittler and Joey were helping us, the halves, with our kicking and passing," he said.

"I thought we were just going to go down there, train as a team and then play

"But then they brought in those boys.

"It was just unreal hearing the stories of what they have gone through."

Adding to that was the chance to play alongside and against the state's best young talent.

"In that sort of thing, it is the best of the best," Hope said.

"You don't get many opportunities like that to play with the best."

It's been a quick rise for the 17-year-old Glen Innes native.

He's played all his junior rugby league in the often forgotten about Group 19 competition.

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Before last year, he had never even heard of the Greater Northern Tigers.

Then he trialled and couldn't even make the starting side - he wore the 14 jersey for the first game of the Laurie Daley Cup.

It was through an injury Hope got his opportunity at centre and he was able to show what he's capable of.

He went on to be the overall leading point-scorer of the statewide competition and was chosen on the bench for the country side.

The versatile youngster now plays for the Inverell Hawks.

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Although he slots in anywhere throughout the backline, his preference is to play in the halves.

"I am not really sure, I went from playing fullback and as the rest of the boys got bigger, I stayed the same so I was a bit too small to be a fullback with how they are these days," Hope said.

"I went into the halves and that is where I have been ever since.

"Probably halfback now is where I am playing and I am liking it."

Hope returns to the Group 19 competition this Saturday when the Hawks play against the Glen Innes Magpies.

Tamworth's Logan Spinks was also part of the Country side.