Last season's Cricket Australia Under 19 National Championships was a landmark carnival for Henry Railz.
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The Dubbo teenager played a key role in NSW Country/ACT's title triumph and it was then he came to the realisation he belonged at the top level of the game.
The 2019/20 nationals begins in Perth on Monday and Railz is again part of the squad, this time more developed and more comfortable in his role.
Railz is one of three Dubbo juniors in the squad and one of two, alongside Tom Atlee, who now plays his cricket in Sydney's NSW Premier Cricket competition.
Brock Larance, who turns 18 on Saturday, is the other in the squad.
All three have extra motivation to succeed in the west as a national side to contest the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa will be selected at the completion of the carnival.
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Regardless of that, Railz is focused on doing what he can to help NSW Country/ACT go back-to-back.
"Through the experience of playing first grade [with Penrith] and that higher level it's opened my eyes up to a different way of thinking about the game," Railz said.
"That and the experience from last year is a good thing.
"I suppose that [national selection] is always in the back of your mind but we're out to win it.
"That's the goal. The way I look at it is I'll just take every opportunity and whatever comes of it, comes of it."
One of the standout all-rounders in Western Zone when he departed Dubbo for Penrith, Railz has continued to improve in the city and that mental side to his game has become all the more important.
It's something he'll put to use in Western Australia, for his own game and to benefit his teammates.
"You look at Steve Smith and he figures out the different situations. That's what makes him so good," Railz said of his learning.
"If you handle the situation the better you'll win it, hands down.
"Just recently with Penrith I needed three off the last ball and I didn't get it but from that you learn there's different options and how it could be done."
I thought Brock would be a shoo-in given what he's done and I'm happy for Tommy Atlee.
- Henry Railz
Railz is one of a number of players who have returned to the squad after last season's title win.
Larance is stepping up after playing in the under 17s last season, where he went on to play for his country, while Atlee is in after missing out on a place in the squad last season.
"A lot of us have played together and it's a really good bunch," Railz said, adding he was "very happy" to see other Dubbo players make the grade.
"I thought Brock would be a shoo-in given what he's done and I'm happy for Tommy Atlee. I thought he was stiff to miss out last year so this will be good for him."
Atlee comes in having made a strong start to life at Blacktown in Sydney while Larance has carried on performing with both bat and ball for CYMS in the RSL-Whitney Cup.
Despite Railz's performances last season he missed out on a place in the Australian under 19 side.
Competition for the national side this season will be hot, with a number of the country's most exciting prospects set to take part.
A handful of those playing in Perth have state contracts or have already represented their state and the NSW Metro side features five incumbent Australian under 19 representatives.
One of the biggest names at the tournament will be Jake Fraser-McGurk, the Victorian star who made a half century when making his debut in the Sheffield Shield earlier this month.
Plays begins on Monday with NSW/Country ACT playing Fraser-McGurk's side first.