CLAUDE ALMIGHTY: Orange CYMS half Claude Gordon is looking forward to playing with Group 10 in the Country Championships. Photo: MICHELLE COOK 0501mcclaude
WHEN Claude Gordon pulls on the Group 10 jersey next week his focus will be on playing good football.
His next focus will be beating Castlereagh in the Country Championships opener to he can take on Group 11 in the second round.
The Orange CYMS half has previously played with Dubbo CYMS and Dubbo Macquarie in the Group 11 competition and would love the chance to go up against former teammates.
“I’m really looking forward to playing them,” Gordon smiled.
Gordon was a standout for CYMS in their Group 10 derby win over Hawks on the weekend.
His performance helped him earn selection in the Dave Elvy-coached Group 10 side.
Even though Gordon is 22, he brings plenty of experience to CYMS and Group 10.
He started playing in Narromine and as an under 18 played for Group 11, Western Division and NSW Country.
He then went to Wests Tigers for 18 months and played with their Toyota Cup side.
After a short return to Dubbo he was picked up by the Newcastle Toyota Cup team.
He played four rounds before he injured his knee and returned to Dubbo.
Since then he has played with Dubbo CYMS and Macquarie, as well as Cessnock and last year he lined up with Nyngan.
CYMS premiership-winning winger Kurt Beahan, who played in Narromine with Gordon, encouraged the half to join Orange CYMS in 2012.
“I’m very happy with CYMS,” Gordon said.
“It’s one of the best clubs I’ve been in. They look after you. They love their footy here.”
Gordon said he just wanted to do his job for Group 10 against Castlereagh on May 12 in Gilgandra.
Joining Gordon in the Group 10 side is fellow CYMS player Tim Bassmann as well as Orange Hawks’ Todd Barrow and Jared Brodrick.
Barrow is more than familiar with representative honours having played with Group 10 the last two years, including being named captain in 2011.
He was also selected in the NSW Country Seconds side in 2010 and 2011.
Barrow said he was looking forward to pulling on the blue jersey again.
He also said he wasn’t thinking too much about earning a place in the Country Seconds side again.
“It’d be nice but I’m not too worried,” Barrow said.
“I said to Dave [Elvy] we have to win games and the more games you win the more chance you have of our boys getting in. It would be nice to be picked again.”