Rams under 16s coach Kurt Hancock has had his “socks knocked off” in the lead-up to Saturday’s opening round of the Andrew Johns Cup at Mudgee.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bathurst-based Western mentor believes the Rams junior representative program continues to go from strength to strength and says there’s little reason why this group of players can’t achieve the same sort of success as the 2017 team did during the country championship.
Western won last year’s under 16s championship after the 2016 group made the final in Tamworth, falling agonisingly short of the crown that year.
Hancock confirmed his squad on Monday ahead of the seven week championship tilt, with players from Bourke to Oberon making up the 18-strong line-up skippered by Bathurst Panthers prodigy Noah Griffiths, last year’s Australian Schoolboys under 15s halfback currently linked with the Melbourne Storm.
The 2018 under 16s Rams heads into Saturday’s opener on the back of a bumper, two-day camp at Lake Burrendong and Hancock says this outfit has the potential to continue Western’s recent purple patch at the championship, starting with the Penrith Panthers development squad at Glen Willow.
“If we keep improving on it, everybody knows the Western Rams are a force now with our junior program,” Hancock said.
“It’s already getting recognition with Charlie Staines, Riley Cheshire, Joey Hobby … we did a count on the weekend, there’s close to 20 players down in the Sydney system.
“It’s a great pathway for bush kids. It’s really pleasing.”
Hancock said his side will be without Wellington five-eighth Rylee Blackhall and Forbes gun Jack Hartwig for round one, with both selected to play for the NSW under 16s Koori side in the lead-up to Saturday’s Charity Shield at Mudgee.
No players from last year’s under 16s championship winning Rams side were eligible for selection this year, due to being top age players in 2017.
But Hancock said this “very talented”, entirely new group still had high expectations.
“From our trial form and the way we’ve trained, the way we went at camp last weekend, they should be right up there,” he said.
“Exception is high, but in saying that, it could be a good age group state wide.
“It’s hard to say, we’ll get that first game out of the round out of the way and take on other results and try to judge how it’ll pan out.”
At first glance, the experienced mentor says his side’s most obvious trait was its speed – across the park, too.
“Our biggest asst we have is our speed. From our backs to our backrowers, they all move really well. They’re great athletes,” he said, before turning his attention to Saturday’s opponent, Penrith.
“Being from western Sydney, they’ll be big, fast, they’ll have a strong forward pack with plenty of size.
“If we can hang with them for the first 20 minutes then hopefully our footy sense and speed kicks in.”
Western takes on Penrith’s Development squad from 2pm on Saturday.
WESTERN: 1 Tyler Colley (Bathurst St Pats), 2 Aiden Nunn (Blayney Bears), 3 Noah Ryan (Dubbo St Johns), 4 Mason Pollock (Bloomfield), 5 Cody Crisp (Parkes Marist), 6 Cody Lawson (Mudgee Dragon), 7 Noah Griffith © (Bathurst Panthers), 8 Harry Sullivan (Oberon Tigers), 9 Josh Dominello (Orange CYMS), 10 Charlie Holman (Bourke Warriors), 11 Blake Martin (Bathurst St Pats), 12 Marlin Pollock (Bloomfield), 13 Jack Smith (Red Bend Catholic College); Bench: 14 Elijah Colliss (Wellington Cowboys), 15 Thomas Phillips (Red Bend Catholic college), 16 Rowan Hamer (Bathurst Panthers), 17 Jayden Fisher (Bathurst St Pats), 18 Cooper Monk (Orange Cyms).