Dubbo CYMS, the Forbes Magpies and Parkes Spacemen are all heavily represented in the Western Rams squad to take on Federation of Italia Rugby League Australia (FIRLA) later this month.
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The three Group 11 powerhouses take up 14 of the 30 spots in the squad, which will take part in the now-annual exhibition game which will once again be hosted at Bathurst’s Carrington Park.
After the pre-season change to the Country Championships – the opens division altered to under 23s – it gives those outside that age bracket the chance to don the famed green and white of Western.
There is also a strong Group 11 feel to the under 20s, 18s and 16s sides which will also take on FIRLA at Bathurst.
Fishies Lincoln Kavanagh and Alex Bonham have been named in the opens side after playing for the Rams 23s earlier this year and they are joined by CYMS teammates Kieran Cubby-Shipp, Jarryn Powyer and Jyie Chapman.
They are four of the 14 Group 11-based players in the preliminary squad, still set for revision, which will face a FIRLA side that will include plenty of guns from the Intrust Super NSW and QLD Cups.
“There’s definitely still an appetite for those players outside the under 23s age bracket to represent Western and this is a good way for them to be able to do that, and a good way for club form to be rewarded as well,” Country Rugby League Western regional manager Peter Clarke said.
“It was a really great day last year, we had a big crowd of more than 1,000 so it’s really good to be able to continue it this year.”
As per last year’s inaugural edition, there will also be under 20s, under 18s and under 16s fixtures this year as well.
While the under 16s squad is substantially different to the one that won the Country Championship, the under 18s outfit is basically identical to that which edged out Newcastle in the decider.
There’s still an appetite for those players outside under 23s to represent Western.
- CRL's Peter Clarke
Group 11 again dominates that under 18s side, providing 15 of the 17 players named.
CYMS stars Matt Burton and Bayden Searle have been named in the halves while powerhouse Macquarie back-rower Luke Gale will also feature.
There is also a strong St John’s presence about the under 16s Rams outfit.
“A lot of the under 16s side will be in Papua New Guinea as part of the NSW Rugby League Young Achievers Tour,” Clarke said.
“All the guys named were a part of the pre-season squads though, so it’s for them to get this chance.
“For the 18s, there is so much camaraderie and passion in the group after winning, selectors wanted to stay loyal to that group.
“You know, a lot of these guys will move on after this so it’s really great for them to be able to play once more together in Western colours, on home turf.”
Hard-working Macquarie back-rower Phil Combridge is the lone Dubbo-based player in the Rams under 20s squad.
“A number of the Western under 23s players (from the 2017 Country Championship) have been named in the opens squad, so there is a pathway there through this too,” Clarke said.
“There’s a lot of 19-year-olds in this squad. It lets them throw their hats in the ring for under 23s selection next year.”
The squads will be revised after Group 10 and Group 11’s respective grand finals on Sunday, September 10.
Western will take on FIRLA on Saturday, September 23.
- WESTERN RAMS: Alex Bonham, Jyie Chapman, Keiran Cubby, Lincoln Cavanagh, Jarryn Powyer (Dubbo CYMS), Ben Maguire, Jake Grace, Jesse Wighton, Zac Merritt (Forbes Magpies), Blake Lawson, Blake Seager, Brent Seager, Doug Hewitt, Jake Betts, Jeremy Gordon (Bathurst Panthers), Brad James (Gulgong Terriers), Brendan Tago, Chad Porter, Jack Medlyn, Jordan Pope, Sam Dwyer (Parkes Spacemen), Chris Bamford, Tom Satterthwaite (Orange CYMS), Hamish Bryant, Todd Munn (Mudgee Dragons), Jack Nobes, Warren Williams (Cowra Magpies), Jackson Brien, Luke Carpenter (Oberon Tigers), Keelan Bresac (Lithgow Workies)
- UNDER 20s: Brett Howard (Nyngan Tigers), Chris Kirby, Izaac Scott, Mitch Burke (Forbes Magpies), Cody Gooden (Oberon Tigers), Ethan Butler (Mudgee Dragons), Jedd Kennedy, Ethan McKellar (Orange Hawks), Jye Barrow, Jarred Seager, Kade Barrow (Bathurst Panthers), Joe Dwyer (Parkes Spacemen), John Allen (Trundle Boomers), Lochie Hobby (Blayney Bears), McCoy White (Bathurst St Pat’s), Mitch Case (Lithgow Workies), Nathan Whatman (Canowindra Tigers), Phil Combridge (Dubbo Macquarie), Rick Nobes (Cowra Magpies), Ryan Griffin (Orange CYMS)
- UNDER 18s: 1 Charlie Staines (Forbes Magpies), 2 Dan Stanley (Nyngan Tigers), 3 Craig Tarr (Orange CYMS), 4 Brock Naden (Wellington Cowboys), 5 Farren Lamb (Forbes Magpies), 6 Matt Burton (Dubbo CYMS), 7 Bayden Searle (Dubbo CYMS), 8 Joey Hobby (Blayney Bears), 9 Jaiden Burke (Forbes Magpies), 10 Riley Cheshire (Bathurst St Pat’s), 11 Darby Medlyn (Parkes Spacemen), 12 Luke Gale (Dubbo Macquarie), 13 Clayton Couley (Nyngan Tigers); Bench: 14 Jackson Bonham-Phair (Dubbo CYMS), 15 Blake Frost (Dubbo Macquarie), 16 Jack Davis (Dubbo CYMS), 17 Ty-Lee Simmonds (Bathurst Panthers)
- UNDER 16s: 1 Aidan Lake (St John’s Dubbo), 2 Dylan Miles (Bathurst Panthers), 3 Mackenzie Atkins (Bathurst Panthers), 4 Dylan Marmion (Blayney Bears), 5 Jack McLeod (Bathurst St Pat’s), 6 Buster Nelson (St John’s Dubbo), 7 Nic Barlow (Bathurst Panthers), 8 Logan Conn (Wellington Cowboys), 9 Sully Haycock (St John’s Dubbo), 10 Josh Piper (Orange CYMS), 11 Brad Fearnley (Bathurst Panthers), 12 Jarred Peachey (St John’s Dubbo), 13 Nathan Ward (Bathurst Panthers); Bench: 14 Jordan Price (Bloomfield Tigers), 15 Mitch Collins (Orange CYMS), 16 Jarred Burns (Cowra Magpies), 17 Pat Hoarsley (Bathurst St Pat’s)
Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
