Jack Littlejohn likely to play for Western Rams in Country Championships second round

After Saturday's dominant performance in the opening round of the 2023 Country Championships, that feeling has only grown.

Greenhalgh watched on at Tamworth as one of the strongest Rams teams named in some time produced the best result Western has had in some time.

The 64-18 victory over the Greater Northern Tigers was headlined by Jeremy Thurston's brilliant six-try effort but there was a lot to like across the park.

From halfback Nick Greenhalgh kicking a 40-20 in the opening set of the game to props Jack Kavanagh and Clay Priest setting the platform and Justin Toomey-White slotting into rep footy like he'd never been gone, there were very few negatives for the victors.

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The coach is adamant there's more to come though, particularly as the new-look team featuring a number of big personalities and highly competitive players becomes a tighter unit.

"I think we can be a little better, which is a scary thing," the 2022 Peter McDonald Premiership-winning coach said.

"I've said all along if we can pick the best players from this competition we'd be a threat and there's some really good players who missed out, too."

Getting the best players from around the region to commit to rep footy - something which has not been the case for a number of years now - was something Greenhalgh stipulated he wanted before agreeing to coach the Rams again in 2023.

He got that - with the likes of Toomey-White and Priest major inclusions this year - and now turning that talent into more success is the goal.

"I've said to them not everyone in the room is going to win a competition this year but we've got a chance of going well into this one," Greenhalgh said.

"If you want to put a trophy on the shelf this year, this is the one to start with and the boys have responded really well."

There will be no wholesale changes for the round two match, the details of which are yet to be confirmed, but there's some decisions to make which Greenhalgh says gives him the good type of selection headache.

Winger Zeke Hartwig departed Saturday's match inside the final 10 minutes with a shoulder complaint and while he told the coach he was confident of being fit for round two he will be monitored.

The biggest call will be in relation to the halves, with former NRL player Jack Littlejohn now available for selection.

Littlejohn was named in the initial Western squad but missed Saturday's match due to family commitments while Parkes captain-coach Chad Porter, another leading half, was ruled out in the lead-up to the game with a potentially serious hand injury.

Versatile Mudgee player Ben Thompson was then given the nod to start in the number six jersey alongside Nick Greenhalgh.

He did his job with aplomb with one highlight coming early in the second half when a dummy, step and linebreak led to a try for back-rower Will Wardle.

"He can play lock or hooker and he played halves in his younger years and he did an outstanding job. He's just a footballer," Greenhalgh said of Thompson.

"It was disappointing to lose Chad. I thought he would have had a big impact on the championships but that happens and there's always some little drama to deal with.

"Hopefully we can stay injury free and fit for the next game."

Littlejohn is likely to take the number six jersey ahead of the next game, while Thompson could provide utility value from the bench.

"It was just a solid team performance. They all stood up and all did something that contributed to the win," he said.

"Jez scored six tries but there's a lot of lead-up to that so there was a lot of positive signs.

"One hot day doesn't make a summer but we'll get together again and work on just a few little things we need to work on and look at the areas we need to get better."

The round two match will be played the weekend of March 18 and 19.

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