Dubbo will play host to some of the most exciting young touch football players in country NSW this weekend when the Don Green Western Junior Championships is played out at the Riverbank Ovals.
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Close to 50 teams competing in nine age divisions will take part on Sunday, with Dubbo players aiming to not only finish as winners but put their hand up for Hunter Western Hornets representative sides.
“It’s a lot of local teams, which great,” Dubbo Touch Association president Neil Webster said.
“We’ve got seven teams in a range of divisions from the under-10s boys and girls through to the under-18s and they’ve been training since about September and October.”
The Dubbo team has already taken part in two representative carnivals this year while another tournament at the Central Coast in two weeks’ time will round out the season.
Webster said that familiarity is sure to help the Dubbo sides gunning for glory on Sunday.
“The coaches have been working and they’re really looking forward to it,” he said.
“Traditionally Orange is a very strong club but we’re finding we’re getting closer and closer, which is great and it’s about keeping those rep sides together.
“The teams have been performing more strongly as the years have gone by. The coaches and the kids are keen so we’ll go very well.”
As well as the Dubbo Devils and Orange Thunder, the Mudgee Mudcrabs and Parkes Pumas are two other clubs heavily represented.
The Wellington, Young and Portland Touch Associations will also be bringing a number of sides while there will also be a Parramatta Eels side competing in the girl’s under-18s division.
Webster was particularly excited about the Parramatta side, saying the Eels will add something new.
“And Young and Portland are sending more sides, and Wellington too, so it’s going to be great to see those smaller clubs as well,” he said.
Talent scouts and selectors will also be in attendance, watching all the matches closely with Hornets spots on the line.
The Junior State Cup is coming up in mid-February and Webster added he was hopeful a number of Dubbo players would earn representative selection.
Matches begin from 9am on Sunday with the finals to finish at roughly 3pm.