GUN Orange Hawks halfback Tony Pellow will on Saturday make his Western Rams debut against a tough Central Coast outfit at the Collegians Sporting Complex in Wollongong.
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And he’ll do so alongside family.
Captaining this year’s Rams under 18s side in the No.7 jumper, Pellow will be partnered in the Western halves by cousin Zac Adams, the young Mudgee Dragons five-eighth blitzing it in the Group 10 under 18s competition in 2014.
For Pellow, it’s an opportunity he’s busting to make the most of.
“We’re cousins, it’s good. We’re pretty close,” he said.
“I’d love to make country. Hopefully people notice me at the right times. It’s a goal I’m working towards.”
A Dubbo boy who currently boards at Kinross, this year was the first time Pellow played in Group 10.
“I’m normally from Group 11. I knew all of the boys that we played against,” he smiled.
Pellow and the 2014 Western Rams under 18s and under 16s headed into camp in Bathurst on Thursday night before making the trip to Wollongong yesterday.
Coached by Orange CYMS captain-coach Mick Sullivan, this year’s under 18s squad has had arguably the best preparation of any side at this weekend’s Country Rugby League Regional Championships following five weeks of training.
The Rams also had a trial against Illawarra in Windsor and Pellow believes that game gave his team an invaluable taste of just what this weekend’s championships beholds.
“It’ll be quick, a lot quicker,” the livewire half said, adding Sullivan has played a huge hand in guiding him through the halfback role with Western.
“It’s a pretty major role. He’s good as, helps me heaps on my game. The role of guiding them around the park, being a pivot.”
Leading a dominant Orange Hawks side throughout an unbeaten start to the 2014 Group 10 under 18s season, Pellow will be joined by two blues teammates Jedd Kennedy, Max Wolfson and Deryne McKenzie in Wollongong.
He was confident each Hawk would make the jump with ease and said having such quality around him will make steering the Western ship around Collegians Sporting Complex a pleasure.
“It does, it makes my job easier,” Pellow said.
“Everyone knows what they’re doing. We’ve been working on getting our structure right at training.”
