RUGBY LEAGUE
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ANY rugby league-loving kid grows up with the ambition of one day playing for their favourite team - be it the green and gold of Australia, in an Ellery Hanley-inspired Balmain or for the comically named Maitland Pumpkin Pickers.
For Orange CYMS lock Tim Mortimer, that team was Western Division.
“Dad played a bit of footy with Riverina and he always used to say Western was the best,” Mortimer said.
“Growing up in this area, it’s always been a dream of mine to play.
“I’m pretty excited. I can’t wait to play for Western.”
Mortimer’s dream will be realised today when the Rams host the Northern Tigers at Bathurst, with the round two clash of the 2015 Country Rugby League Regional Championships the first test for Mick Sullivan’s beefed up green and white outfit.
Called into the side after Dubbo Macquarie hooker Jeremy Smith was ruled out, Mortimer’s versatility and scintillating form for the undefeated green and golds proved irresistible for Sullivan - even if it meant Group 11 powerbrokers were left scratching their collective heads as a result.
Mortimer was a shadow for the Rams squad after playing for Group 10 in early May, and doesn’t see any reason for conjecture around the selection of himself or in-form Blayney prop Terawhiti Cooper.
“I understand where they’re coming from, but I also appreciate where Mick’s coming from,” Mortimer said.
VIDEO: Matt Findlay and Nick McGrath preview this weekend's footy:
“He’s not going to be able to see a lot of Group 11, he can’t. And he’s got to pick them best team he can. He knows TC and, everyone knows when he’s on, TC is the best player in the competition.
“I thought I played pretty well for Group 10.”
Looking to make amends after the Tigers knocked off Western 12-6 in the corresponding game in 2014, the Rams will kick-off this year’s campaign at 2pm with a massive pack headlined by Mudgee gun Jack Afamasaga and Parkes unit Brendon Tago.
Mortimer believes size is the key.
“That’s what you need in these games, especially when everyone is from different places,” he said.
“Footy is an easy game when you’re on the front foot.”
Fellow CYMS players Simon Osborne and Ben McAlpine are also in the Rams outfit, with the latter named at fullback and the former in the front row alongside Tago.
The CRL Regional Championships begin at 11am today with the Northern Rivers against Riverina, before Western plays Northern Tigers at 2pm. Both games are at Carrington Park.
WESTERN DIVISION: 1 Ben McAlpine (Orange CYMS), 2 Kieran Cubby-Shipp (Dubbo CYMS), 3 Jyie Chapman (Dubbo CYMS), 4 Corin Smith (Mudgee Dragons), 5 John Grey (Dubbo CYMS), 6 Gary Reilly (Bathurst St Pat’s) 7 Colby Pellow (Dubbo CYMS), 8 Simon Osborne (Orange CYMS) 9 Benjamin John (Bathurst St Pat’s) 10 Brandon Tago (Parkes Spacemen), 11 Justin Toomey-White (Wellington Cowboys) 12 Ben Maguire (Forbes Magpies), 13 Jack Afamasaga (Mudgee Dragons), 14 Jake Grace (Forbes Magpies), 15 Demitrius Ainnu (Wellington Cowboys) 16 Tim Mortimer (Orange CYMS), 17 Terawhiti Cooper (Blayney Bears).