And the 33-year-old No.8 is tipping that Dubbo fans will get the chance to witness some of the next crop of future stars when his NSW Country Eagles side lines up against Perth Spirit in the National Rugby Championship (NRC) clash at Apex Oval today.

Hoiles has idenitifed the competition's leading try-scorer Andrew Kellaway as one of the players to watch today, along with the likes of second-rower Ben Matwijow and flanker Will Miller.

"This competition is really valuable for the non-Super Rugby and fringe Super Rugby players to give them a chance to shine at the next level up from their club football and those guys in particular I think can go to the next level," Hoiles said.

"Andrew Kellaway has played for Australia at junior levels and has been phenomenal for us during the NRC so far, and he's really one of the rising stars of Australian rugby.

"Ben Matwijow and Will Miller are another couple of guys I think are capable of taking that next step up and progressing through to playing Super Rugby and maybe even going further.

"What the NRC does is give these guys a pathway, it's a bridge between club football and Super Rugby and I think it's been a great innovation, although being the first competition of it's kind I'm sure the organisers will look at a few things before the next season."

NSW Country currently sit in second place on the ladder behind runaway leaders Melbourne Rising, who are unbeaten through their first seven matches of the competition.

A win for the Eagles today will secure a home semi-final, and after being a part of the NSW Waratahs' Super Rugby winning franchise this year, Hoiles knows how big a benefit that will be if they can secure second position.

"This game in Dubbo is big for us because in finals, home ground is vital," he said.

"I think it's panned out great that we're playing such an important game at a bush venue, and from all the reports I've heard from some of the Wallaby guys that were in Dubbo earlier in the year the facility you have in Dubbo is fantastic.

"Traditionally NSW Country has been a real breeding ground of Australian rugby, back in the 70s the bulk of the representative players came from bush areas and even today you've got guys like Beau Robinson, Ben McCalman and Pat McCutcheon that hail from out in your area.

"For this competition to have a NSW Country side, a team that people in the bush can really get behind, is a great thing and even though we know Perth will be tough hopefully there will be plenty of supporters at the ground to get us over the line."

o NSW COUNTRY EAGLES

1. Duncan Chubb, 2. Bill Johnston, 3. Jake Ilnicki, 4. Ben Matwijow, 5. Richard Stanford, 6. Tala Gray, 7. Will Miller, 8. Steven Hoiles, 9. Brendan McKibbin (c), 10. Sam Windsor, 11. Andrew Kellaway, 12. Apakuki Ma'afu, 13. Samu Wara, 14. Joel Brooks, 15. Darcy Etrich. Interchange: Michael Alaalatoa, Ben Suisala, Will Weeks, Cameron Treloar, Mick Snowden, Pauli Tuala, Eli Sinoti, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak.

o PERTH SPIRIT

1. Joe Savage, 2. Robbie Abel, 3. Chris Heiberg, 4. Corey Thomas, 5. Brent Murphy, 6. Richard Hardwick, 7. Kane Koteka, 8. Al Rovira, 9. Justin Turner, 10. Zack Holmes, 11. Koiatu Koiatu, 12. Luke Burton, 13. Ammon Matuauto, 14. Va'a Mailei, 15. Christian Joubert. Interchange: Harry Scoble, Oliver Hoskins, Kaisa Reidy, Kieran Stringer, Cian O'Connor, Michael Ruru, Davis Tavita, Nili Fielea.