A Western Rams under 18s squad featuring six Dubbo players will put themselves to the test this Saturday with a trial match against the Parramatta Eels Senior Talent Squad in Blayney.
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The under 18s side will use the trial at King George Oval to prepare for a testing 2017 season, where the team will be out to once again reach the final of the Country Rugby League Championships.
Coach Cameron Greenhalgh has retained some familiar faces in the 18s side but is looking forward to seeing what the new faces will bring this year.
CYMS halves Matt Burton and Bayden Searle, and their team-mates Jack Davis and Jackson Bonham-Phair are joined by Macquarie’s Luke Gale and Blaine Gordon.
Group 11 players dominate the squad, with 12 of the 18 players selected coming from the group.
“We had a training run on Saturday in the hot conditions and we’ve nearly got our team finalised now. The boys seem really keen for this game,” Greenhalgh said.
“I’ve got the good nucleus from last year back. The whole back row which took us to the final is here again.
“In the front row the options are still open, but there’s new players in those positions and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do.
“In the halves I’m trying a few different combinations and in the outside backs we’ve made some changes and seen some new faces there.”
The Eels squad is somewhat of a mystery to Greenhalgh and his team.
“They’ll be well-drilled, obviously because they’re part of the extended Parramatta Eels SG Ball squad. I expect them to be big, mobile, relatively fit and with good structure,” he said.
“I always look for a few trial games before making our final Rams squad and Parramatta were willing to do that for us, and to have it out at Blayney as well is great.”
Greenhalgh said his 18s need to keep on their toes with an eager group of Rams 17s waiting in the wings.
“Barring injury most of the guys taking to the field this weekend will be in with a good chance of making the final squad,” he said.
“If the guys put their hand up over at Leichhardt though then they’ll also be putting their hand up for selection.”
Saturday’s match starts at 12pm.
- WESTERN RAMS 18s: 1 Charlie Staines (Forbes Magpies), 2 Farren Lamb (Forbes Magpies), 3 Warren Baxter (Forbes Magpies), 4 Brock Naden (Wellington Cowboys), 5 Tye Lee Simmons (Oberon Tigers), 6 Matt Burton (Dubbo CYMS), 7 Bayden Searle (Dubbo CYMS), 8 Joe Hobby (Blayney Bears), 9 Jayden Burke (Forbes Magpies), 10 Riley Cheshire (Bathurst St Pat's), 11 Luke Gale (Dubbo Macquarie), 12 Jack Davis (Dubbo CYMS), 13 Clayton Couley (Nyngan Tigers), 14 Jackson Bonham-Phair (Dubbo CYMS), 15 Blake Frost (Dubbo Macquarie), 16 Craig Tarr (Orange CYMS), 17 Nick Tilburg (Blayney Bears), 18 Ray Simmons (Bourke)