After playing rugby league for years, Mackillop's brother Hugh convinced him to make a switch and it's paid off with the Orange Emus forward set to play for NSW Country under 14s this weekend.

A successful individual performance for Central West in their June under 14s Country Championship campaign lead towards Mackillop being part of a 40-man squad battling it out for Country selection.

The second-rower remembers that Central West campaign as 'cold' and a definite lift in standard.

"You play in club (footy) and you're a hero doing all the work and then in representative football you know the blokes around you are good players because they've all made the side," he said.

From there, a trial game settled who was the best of the best but Mackillop wasn't expecting the good news.

"I didn't think I had a chance, there was blokes bigger than me, I still gave it a fair crack and it paid off," he said.

"I was stoked (when I found out)."

Now, with all preparation completed, the forward will officially wear the Country jersey for the first time this weekend against City at Bathurst.

Packing down in the second-row, Mackillop knows the quality of opposition his side is coming up against but is confident they can do the NSW Country region proud.

"I reckon we'll give it a good crack - City are always a good side, for Country the region spreads out all across NSW but City is just Sydney so they get to train when they want and we don't get that opportunity but I reckon we'll give it a fair crack," he said.

After training with the squad and learning from coach Tristan Buttenshaw, Mackillop believes the area of importance will be at the breakdown.

"You're always at the ruck ... every single time you've got to fight for that ball, every opportunity you've got. It's just fast-thinking," he said.

"In union ruck is just everything, if you don't have a ruck you can't obtain the ball."

Mackillop won't be the only Central West representative featuring in the Country side with Angus Littler, Ewan Moody, Tully Robertson, Jackson Rodwell and Sonny MacGregor.

Kick off for the under 14s is at 8:30.

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