Long weekends are exciting at the best of times but Tom Dennis will be part of something extra special across the next three days.
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Dennis will be the sole Dubbo Junior Rugby Club representative who lines up for the Central West side at the Positive Rugby Foundation NSW Junior Under 13s State Championships at Apex Oval.
Dennis will line up at prop for the Baby Bulls side which starts its campaign against Eastwood on Saturday morning.
The championships provides an incredible opportunity for players right across the state and stars of the future have regularly been discovered across various age groups across the years.
Dubbo Junior Rugby Club president Jason Blake is delighted his club has the chance to host the carnival and showcase all the city has to offer to the roughly 1500 visitors expected across the three days.
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He's also thrilled there will be a local rising star stepping out and taking on some of the state's most exciting talents.
"It adds a little more flavour and what an experience for that young man to play for his zone at a state championships in his home town," Blake said.
"His family doesn't have to travel, his friends can come and watch. It's going to be a great experience for him."
Dennis will play as a prop for the Central West side which plays four pool games before the finals series begins on Sunday afternoon.
The grand final will be on Monday afternoon, with sides from all over NSW vying for state glory.
"The level of rugby and intensity for under 13s is quite amazing," Blake said.
"It's not something we experience out here in local football week in, week out. Some of these teams from Sydney like Manly, Randwick, and Gordon as well as teams from other zones its an experience for all country zones at this next level.
"It's great exposure for these young men to go to this next level."
The event is also great exposure for the Dubbo club.
If you've got the vision and wish to go further it shows what you have to work on.
- Jason Blake on the state championships
Dubbo was awarded hosting rights in 2019 and Blake said there was roughly two years' planning and liaising with NSW Junior Rugby Union and Dubbo Regional Council to get into a strong position prior to that.
The COVID scare in Dubbo this week has raised some questions but Blake confirmed the hosting club and all visiting sides had plans in place to ensure the bumper carnival ran smoothly.
"It's extremely exciting for our club to be named as host," Blake said.
"It brings exposure but also a championship like this is brilliant for our club and good for the local community and economy."
The championships range from under 10s through to open-age and carnivals will be run across the state on the long weekend.
Dubbo will be on show throughout the juniors and in the senior women and men's sides.
"It's a great experience for all of them," Blake added.
"The championships, at a country level, is an experience in itself against the other zones but playing those big metropolitan areas, the Sydney sides, you really have to be on your game and it shows if you want to progress in your rugby career what sort of level the fitness and technical capabilities you need.
"If you've got the vision and wish to go further it shows what you have to work on. It's a great experience to play at something like that."
Central West will host two carnivals with the under 14s being played in Orange.
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