GUN Orange CYMS backrower Hudson Spicer has capped a sensational representative season with the Western Rams’ under-16 players’ player gong.
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Spicer was instrumental in leading Jamie Szczerbanik’s Western outfit undefeated through this year’s Country Championship, before they were dramatically beaten in the final by the Greater Northern Tigers 16-12 in Tamworth.
A threat throughout the tournament before being named in the NSW Country under-16 team, Spicer was one of the best on field during the championship decider.
He was rewarded for his efforts at the Molong RSL on Saturday night and, along with gun prop Matt Nicholson, who was deemed the side’s best and fairest, earned the praise of Szczerbanik.
“We had a great side, and while ever we had both Spice and Nicko on the field we knew we could build a side around them,” Szczerbanik said.
“Spice is a really humble guy and Nicko, he played front-row for us and then goes back to Red Bend and player five-eighth, he has skills most halves dream of.
“They’ve both got a great future in the game. Whether that’s in Sydney, where I think both would be really comfortable, or whether they stick around in the country and follow the representative paths in place there, I’ve got no doubt both will excel in the game.”
Szczerbanik revealed Spicer is due to have a shoulder reconstruction on Tuesday but was confident the setback is only a minor one on the backrower’s radar.
In Cameron Greenhalgh's under-18 side, Cowra’s Rick Nobes took out the players’ player gong while Blayney’s gun fullback Lachlan Farr shared the Rams’ best and fairest award with Forbes centre Mitch Andrews.
All three players were instrumental in guiding the undefeated Rams to the final, where they ultimately lost 44-10 to a rampant Bidgee Bulls side.
“Rick, he was one of those guys everyone wanted to play with,” Greenhalgh said.
“Being a smaller body in the middle of the field, he always put his body on the line and I think a lot of the boys respected that.
“(Farr and Andrews) two big tall bodies that put a lot of pressure on other teams.
“(Bidgee) did their homework on both of them in the final and shut them down … but they were awesome for us throughout the entire competition.”