A star-studded Western Rams squad has been selected to take on the Canterbury Bulldogs in a high-profile pre-season clash at Orange this month.
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Andrew Pull will once again coach the side, which comprises 23 players from the Western Women's Rugby League competition.
"I did have four really good selectors who got around the games and this was the first real, genuine chance to pick players on form, on real good form, because our Western competition is so competitive," Pull said.
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The Bathurst-based Panorama Platypi were rewarded for their premiership success this season by having five players named in the squad while the Goannas, Orange Vipers and Castlereagh Cougars each had four players named and two were chosen from Woodbridge.
"That shows with the Platypi winning the grand final, how many players they had picked. Winning the competition in March and then winning the competition in November, well, they've been rewarded with a lot of good players," Pull said.
Bec Smyth, Alahna Ryan and Townsend sisters April and Maggie were the Goannas named in the side.
Multi-code star Smyth was again a standout for the Goannas in 2022 and finished the WWRL leading try-scorer while Ryan and the Townsends also have plenty of representative experience.
Smyth and Maggie Townsend were singled out for praise by Pull, with the latter earning Western selection after already representing the Australian Police rugby league side late last year.
The Goannas finished runners-up to the Platypi in the open-age competition in 2022.
The squad also features five under 18s players, four of those from a Woodbridge side which has lost just one game in the past five years.
"Woodbridge didn't have a great season in first grade, but if you have a look at their under 18s side ... it's time to reward them," Pull added.
"Hopefully they bring a bit of enthusiasm and I'm really looking forward to seeing them get the chance."
The game against the Bulldogs will kick off at 4pm on Saturday, January 14 at Pride Park. Pull said that although the build-up had been a bit "low-key", he expected a big turn-out for the clash.
"They're bringing out the Harvey Norman squad and I think it's amazing that you've got a team of that level coming out to Orange," he said.
- WESTERN: Bridie McClure (Vipers), Kiara Sullivan (Vipers), Jes Pearson (Vipers), Molly Hoswell (Woodbridge), Emma Bayley (Woodbridge), Nicole Schneider (Platypi), Tiana Anderson (Platypi), Molly Kennedy (Platypi), Teagan Miller (Platypi), Erin Naden (Platypi), Hayley Andrews (Castlereagh), Kayla Hasson (Castlereagh), Maddy Masman (Castlereagh), Tori Canham (Castlereagh), Rebecca Smyth (Goannas), April Townsend (Goannas), Maggie Townsend (Goannas), Alahna Ryan (Goannas) - Under 18s - Lily Holmes (Woodbridge), Charlotte Gray (Woodbridge), Macy Morrison (Woodbridge), Taylor Keppie (Woodbridge) and Marley Cardwell (Vipers).
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