When Jack Cole found out he had been named in the Future Blues side, he was more than surprised...he didn't even know there was such a team.
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The 31-man squad includes NRL regulars Josh Schuster, Jason Saab and Haumole Olakau'atu from Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, St George Dragons rising stars Junior Amone, Tyrell Sloan and Jayden Sullivan and Sydney Roosters young gun Joseph Suaalii. Throw Penrith Panthers and Orange product Cole in the mix and you've got yourself one talented team.
"I'm over the moon, it's unreal," Cole said.
"I didn't know what to think when I saw my name there."
The teenager has already enjoyed many a rep selection this season, beginning with a spot in the NSW City side and more recently being chosen for the Panthers Jersey Flegg team, alongside fellow CYMS player Addison Williams.
"It will give me a good taste of where I want to be, a good benchmark to train with the boys that are at the level that I obviously want to get to," Cole said on the upcoming camp.
"It will be a good experience training with those boys, getting an insight into how they train and what it takes.
The squad will come together for a two day camp and be coached by Brad Fittler.
The camp will include a joint breathing and yoga class, positional training sessions while the women's teams - for which Orange's Lilly Baker will also be a part of - will begin preparations for the 2022 State of Origin.
Fittler said he looked forward to re-connecting with the future crop of superstars after representative pathways games were forced to be cancelled for the past two years.
"The game will always produce rugby league stars and I'm looking forward to working with the Future Blues to help them realise their potential, as well as assisting with training sessions for the Sky Blues and Under 19s Women's Origin teams," he said.
And while Cole is pleased by the opportunity, he knows his work is far from over.
"I just want to play good footy, keep training hard and whatever opportunities pop up, pop up," he said.
"I just go with the flow and whatever comes along the way is just a bonus."
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