As Bathurst Bulldogs coach, Dean Oxley was given a headache by Dubbo Kangaroos teenager Calub Cook last Saturday.
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But as head of the Central West representative squad, Oxley will be hoping the flying fullback is at his very best at this weekend's Country Championships.
Cook is one of six Dubbo Roos to earn a spot in Oxley's 25-man Central West squad for this weekend's carnival at Tamworth.
The Blue Bulls will be aiming for a third successive Caldwell Cup victory and the Roos contingent is likely to be key to their hopes.
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Filisione Pauta, Tim Beach and Will Archer retain their spots after starring for Central West previously while Cook, Josh Bass and Ratu Roko have also been named.
The trio of newcomers have been key to the Roos' success so far this year and helped the side get firmly back into the title conversation after two years without finals.
Oxley got a close look at the Roos last weekend through his role as Bulldogs coach and admitted his side was "lucky" to score a 32-28 victory after an engrossing battle at No. 1 Oval.
"The (Roos) club is starting to rebuild and I've had the privilege of coaching some of the boys in the Central West team and I've spoken to them and they're really feeling it and feeling what's happening in this club," Oxley said of the Roos on Saturday.
"For Central West and the Blowes Cup to be strong, Dubbo has to play good footy and they are."
Cook, Bass and Roko caught the eye of Central West mentor Oxley last weekend.
Bass has taken his game to a new level since moving to flyhalf this season while Roko and Cook are cross-code players who have benefited from making rugby their area of focus in 2022.
Flying fullback Cook scored a brilliant individual try against the Bulldogs while outside centre Roko was a handful every time he ran the ball.
"Josh Bass was outstanding. He's a great acquisition," Oxley said.
"And Calub Cook is unbelievable. His speed is as good as I've ever seen in this competition. He's lightning and he's going to be an exciting prospect for the years to come."
Cook, Bass, Roko, Beach and Pauta are part of an exciting backline contingent in the Central West squad.
Former Roo Joe Nash and Bulldogs teammates Adam Plummer and Kurt Weekes have been in fine form this season while Noah Ryan has helped defending premiers Cowra sit top of the Blowes Clothing Cup ladder.
The masterful Forbes half Mahe Fangupo is in again alongside Platypi teammate Miniti Tonga.
Archer is part of forwards' group with a mountain of experience.
Josh Tremain, Charlie French and Peter Fitzsimmons headline the forwards and will all head to Tamworth with a wealth of Country Championships knowledge.
The Central West colts and women will also be playing for country glory at Tamworth this weekend.
Tim Harrison and Beau McKenzie have earned colts selection while, unsurprisingly, the Roolettes and Bulldogs dominate the women's squad as they have dominated the Westfund Ferguson Cup in recent years.
Kim Fyfe, Jean Littlewood, Savannah Dimmock, Danielle Plummer, Darby Richardson and Janalee Conroy will all fly the flag for Dubbo at Tamworth.
The sheer number of Roos in Central West jerseys this weekend would come as no surprise to Oxley, who was hugely impressed by what he saw at No.1 Oval last weekend.
"Dubbo is building something special," he said on Saturday.
"I watched third grade here and the crowd on the sideline reminds me of the good old days of Dubbo really being at the top of the table.
"That Dubbo girls side is unbelievably strong. We look forward to playing Dubbo every week because they're the ones who really test our girls."
- CENTRAL WEST: Charlie French, Matt Trapp, Dan Ryan, Ollie Harvison, Justin Mobbs, Peter Fitzsimmons, Damian Michael, Josh Tremain, Charlie Brown, Will Archer, Tom Dunstan, Daniel Minto, Fletcher Wright, AJ McNiven, Mahe Fangupo, Tim Beach, Josh Bass, Ratu Roko, Adam Plummer, Filisone Pauta, Joe Nash, Miniti Tonga, Noah Ryan, Kurt Weekes, Calub Cook
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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.
