Harry Siejka is looking forward to playing for the Western Rams

Now, more than a decade later, Siejka is about to get that chance.

In 2008 the star half was signed by the Penrith Panthers on a then record-deal for a 16-year-old. It was a signature which meant Siejka was playing with the NRL club instead of chasing a place in the Bathurst Panthers' premier league side.

He went on to make his NRL debut in 2011 and had a stint in the English Super League before returning to Australia. Time in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership followed, as did a 2018 Emerging Nations World Championship campaign with Poland.

This season the now 28-year-old moved to Mudgee and signed with the Dragons. He played for them in the pre-season knockout, but when the coronavirus forced Group 10 to firstly delay, then cancel the 2020 competition, Siejka thought it meant no league for him this year.

But last week came the news that the Western Rams would compete in the new New South Wales Rugby League Presidents Cup competition. It meant that Siejka's dream of wearing green and white was revived.

"I guess when I was younger I never thought I'd get to where I got to in football, so I'm really lucky in that regard. But for me, I always sort of wanted to play first grade for Panthers and play Group 10, Western Division and make the Country team and all that sort of stuff," he said.

"So now I'm back and to tick that off is pretty special for me. The area gave me so much as well, so it's good to do something like this.

"I never played senior footy back here, I sort of left when I was 14. I played Group 10, I think that came in at under 13s, so I played 13s and 14s and then went up to Sydney, that's all I got to play rep-wise around here, that and a bit of schoolboys stuff.

"I thought I'd probably be a bit old for it, so I'm pretty excited about it, it should be good."

Siejka trained with the Rams squad last Saturday and though there were not many familiar faces, he has confidence in the talent within the Western region.

"I think we've got a pretty good little squad. I don't know too many of the people because I haven't played here for a long time, but talking to people it's most of the 23s squad who played in the Country Championships, plus the guys who played against the French team last year," he said.

"I watched that game last year when they played against France and they did a pretty good job against a national team, so I think we'll have a good enough squad to give it a pretty good crack."

The Rams will do battle with country outfits such as Dubbo CYMS as well as metropolitan clubs like the North Sydney Bears and Wentworthville Magpies when the cup kicks off on July 18.

"I think the Western Rams should be commended on getting this going, especially for older guys like me who are still keen to play. It's a pretty special comp, it's like a one-off and may never happen again," Siejka said. "So we are pretty fortunate to be able to play something like this."