GROUP 11 coach Darren Jackson will have plenty of time to prepare his squad for next month's Western Division selection trial against Group 10 after selectors released a 24-man squad on Monday.
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The two Groups will face each other at Dubbo on May 10, with Jackson keen to avoid recent scenarios which have seen a lack of preparation lead to some poor performances at representative level.
With a squad that stretches geographically from Cobar to Parkes, the 24-man squad will train three times prior to being culled to 17 on May 5, and again the night before they face Group 10.
"It makes sense that it's going to be hard to get a squad with players from all different places together too often, but we've got a few training runs together before the game which is why we named the squad so early," Jackson said.
"I think we've got a good blend of youth and experience in there, but the one thing we might lack is a bit of size in the front row.
"Things can change between now and then with injury and whatever, but we're confident the squad we have, and whatever the 17 to come out of it might be, will be able to get the job done.
"We've got some young guys in there but they are the future of Group 11 football so I think knowing the selectors are looking at them will be a good thing and if they impress Dennis (Moran) then a Western Division jersey mightn't be out of reach."
Dubbo CYMS have five players in the squad while Macquarie have four. Only newcomers Westside and Forbes aren't represented.
Perhaps one of the biggest shock selections in the squad is Macquarie back-rower Perry Meredith, who is returning to football after missing the 2013 season due to an ACL tear and subsequent knee reconstruction.
A rigorous rehabilitation and gym program has the youngster bigger and hopefully better than the 2012 season which delivered him a premiership with the Raiders.
"I was pretty shocked when (Macquarie coach) John (Grey) called me and told me," Meredith admitted yesterday.
"To be honest all I wanted to do was get back to playing good club football and make sure my knee was fine.
"I got through 65 minutes against CYMS on Friday night in a trial and it felt good.
"Whether I make the final 17 or not I think just being in a squad with the likes of Dennis and 'Jacko' will help my football a lot."
GROUP 11: Jyie Chapman (Dubbo CYMS), Ainsley Coxsedge (Dubbo CYMS), Kieran Shipp (Dubbo CYMS), Chris Daley (Dubbo Macquarie), Dylan Hill (Dubbo Macquarie), Troy Hayman (Cobar), Ryan McPaul (Nyngan), Perry Meredith (Dubbo Macquarie), Dennis Moran (Parkes), Matt Naden (Dubbo CYMS), Jacob Neill (Nyngan), Jordon Pope (Parkes), Epi Sadrodro (Parkes), Richard Peckham (Wellington), Alex Prout (Parkes), Braydon Peachey (Dubbo CYMS), Jordan Richardson (Narromine), Aidan Ryan (Wellington), Jeremy Smith (Dubbo Macquarie), Alex Sambrook (Narromine), Craig Ticehurst (Nyngan), Tino Ionatana (Parkes), Chris Thompson (Wellington), Justin Toomey-White (Wellington). Coach: Darren Jackson.