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When they play Toyota Cup they the majority have played plenty of club football. Before sports high schools the catholic schools used to take all the quality players, but that has now stopped, with many coming from westfields and hills.
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11 Nov, 2009 01:56 PM
After displaying outstanding form during the recent Group 11 rugby league Under-18’s season, Cobar Roosters backrower Zacc Douglas has been selected by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) to tour France and the British Isles.
Douglas who next year will link with his favourite NRL team, the Parramatta Eels, is part of the AIS Development Squad, which contains a group of about 20 of the most talented up-and-coming rugby league players in Australia.
“There are now about 45 players in the NRL who went on previous AIS tours,” Country Rugby League development officer Steve McLellan said.
“So this is a chance of a lifetime for boys from the country.”
The AIS selects one player from each emerging rugby league state with NSW and Queensland players making up the rest of the squad.
They are identified from various sources including the Under 16 NSW Country Championships and then invited to attend trials of the AIS in Canberra.
Players are offered scholarships to participate in the AIS training program over the following years.
“Merrit (Dubbo) was actually fast-tracked from the Under-16 country championships because he made such a big impression,” McLellan said.
The squad includes successful Macquarie players Dylin Hill and Josh Merritt, Dubbo CYMS forward Jordan Hay, Cobar’s Zacc Douglas and Mudgee’s Brendan Simpson.
They will fly to Hong Kong this Friday, November 13, before going on to Paris.
From there they will take in some history with a visit to the World War II battlefields on the Somme, and then down to Toulouse for the first two matches of the tour against the French Under-18’s and French Under-19’s. The squad arrives in Manchester on November 23 where they will play a game against British Lions and then on to Cardiff to play a Test against Wales.
</H1>12 Nov 09 @ 10:23am by Andre Grimaux
Success story ... Michael Lucas, Cale Hobday and Josh Batalibasi are tipped to have a big future in rugby league.
THREE Moreton Bay footy mates stand on the verge of representing Australia and establishing themselves among the next batch of NRL hopefuls.
Michael Lucas (Warner), Cale Hobday (Cashmere) and Josh Batalibasi (Deception Bay) fly to Europe today as part of the 25-man Australian Institute of Sport under-18 squad.
They have two Test matches against under-17 and under-19 French national teams, and stand-alone matches against the Great Britain Community Lions and a Welsh select side.
The fact the trio remain on the same development path is quite remarkable.
All three played in the under-16 Albany Creek Crushers Premier team, Lucas and Hobday attend Wavell State High School together, and Hobday and Batalibasi were teammates in the Redcliffe under-18 side this year.
And their bond will continue, particularly when the AIS team arrives in France. Part of the players’ scholarship criteria is that they research a family member or person from their hometown who lost their life in the Word War I battle of the Somme, in northern France.
AIS assistant coach and Wavell SHS rugby league teacher Brendan Barlow said the experience would help the boys grow as individuals, and as footballers.
``Educating these guys is a big part of the trip, they will see some sights, learn new things, and something like the Somme can be really touching, and you see the boys rally around each other from that,’’ he said.
OURFOOTYTEAM’S NSW ALL SCHOOLS “ALL STARS SECONDS” TEAM 2009
Story & Photo's By : ourfootymedia & the ourfooty selection team
Well here it is people.
Ourfootyteam have come up with our NSW All Schools "ALL STARS SECONDS" team. And boy, was it hard! It was just a hard an assignment as it was to name the number one team.
The question we ask our readers now is who would win a game between the number one and two teams? Let us know what you think. Congratulations to the following players.
1 Jayden TAVITA Westfields Sports HS
He wasn’t selected for NSWCHS but he had a great season for the Parramatta SG Ball team and then was promoted to the Toyota Cup team. Also had a great season for Westfield’s Sports High.
2 Michael MIZRAHIE Matraville Sports HS
Starred for Newtown SG Ball team where he scored a stack of trys. Plenty of pace and knows his way to the tryline.
3 Olomanu USINI Westfields Sports HS
Powerful runner and damaging defender. Was a star in Parramatta’s SG Ball team. The Roosters have noticed his worth and have signed him to play Toyota Cup in 2010. NSWCHS player.
4 Jorge TAUFUA The Hills Sports HS
This bloke nearly made the number one team. He played some great games for his school and Parramatta SG Ball team. Powerful and fast he was a real handful for opposition defences. NSWCHS player. Has signed to play for Parramatta Toyota Cup in 2010.
5 Nathan MASSEY Matraville Sports HS
Had to find a place for him in the team but Tavita just tips him for the fullback spot. Had a great year for the Bulldogs in SG Ball and Toyota Cup. NSWCHS player.
6 Liam AYOUB Matraville Sports HS
What a year this boy had! He was also the inspirational captain of the Bulldogs premiership winning SG Ball team. Signed to play with Wests Tigers Toyota Cup team in 2010.
7 Tim CRELLIN The Hills Sports HS
“Pit Bull” came to notice in The Hills Sports High footy team where his trademark hits in defence softened up many opposition teams. Can play hooker as well. His form was so good he got a run in Parramatta’s Toyota Cup team. He has also signed to play there next season.
8 Jake FINN Hunter Sports HS
Australian Schoolboys and NSWCHS player. Played well for Newcastle SG Ball and Toyota Cup teams. Was close to selection in the number one “ALL STARS” team but was shaded by Terepo and Asiata.
9 Nick FOLINO The Hills Sports HS
The most under rated player running around today. Reminds me of Cameron Smith from the Storm with his spit fire runs from dummy half and his strong defence. Will form a devastating combination with Queensland’s Dean Blackman in Parramatta’s SG Ball team in 2010.
10 Rodney MOEFAAUO Westfields Sports HS
Ricky Stuart liked this bloke so much he bought him. Signed to the Sharks for the Toyota Cup for 2010. He is a strong running prop who provokes fear into opposition teams.
NSWCHS player.11 Boyd CORDNER Matraville Sports HS
The boy wonder came back from injury to play well for his school as well as Newtown’s SG Ball team. Australian schoolboy player. Signed to play with the Roosters Toyota Cup team for 2010.
12 Matthew GROAT St Gregory's College Campbelltown
We had to fit this boy in somewhere and we think he could play just as well in the second row. NSWCCC and Australian Schoolboy. Had a good year but we think Terepo and Asiata deserve their spots in the number one “ALL STARS” team.
13 Kyle FRASER Matraville Sports HS
This boy has been around the world for sixpence in 2009. He went from school at Liverpool to Matraville Sports High where he played a crucial role in that school’s Arrive Alive program. He also captained Parramatta’s SG Ball team. Thought to have signed with the Roosters in 2010 he has decided that he will forge a career with the Penrith Panthers. An inspiring player.
There are many players who could be in either of these "ALL STAR TEAMS", people like Dubbo's Max Ray, the efforts of the BASS HIGH SCHOOL players this year should also be noted and we look forward to them competing in the Sports High School Competitions in 2010 and beyond.
We welcome your comments about these teams and anything else on your favourite junior rugby league website, ourfootyteam.com - CONTACT US
http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2010/01/20/young-eel-to-bloom/Young Eel to bloom
Steele Taylor | 20th January 2010
Pat OHanlon is one of a handful of Mackay district products set to play in the national under-20 competition this year.
Ourfootyteam.com
PARRAMATTA's Pat OHanlon believes a testing tenure out of the game has him primed for a big year in the under-20 Toyota Cup, which will feature a handful of talented teenagers who hail from the Mackay region.
The former Brothers and Mackay State High forward is itching for action after a shoulder reconstruction brought a premature end to his 2009 campaign.
I spent the second half of the season off the field which was very frustrating. Im not one for sitting on the sideline, the 18-year-old said after a lengthy layoff.
The bustling back rower is now fully recovered and has been pitched into the A grade squad for the off-season, running alongside the likes of Dally M player of the year Jarryd Hayne.
Im looking up to blokes like Justin Poore hes come to the club with a great attitude (and) you want to be able to emulate players like Nathan Cayless and Nathan Hindmarsh, he said.
And while OHanlons been training with the stars, he said hes just looking to play as well as I can for the 20s this season and if anything happens from there, its a bonus.
Im just keen to use the experience Ive got from training with the A grade side to help the 20s.
At almost two metres and 100kg, OHanlon played 12 matches for the Eels Toyota Cup side last year and was named the clubs SG Ball player of the season despite making only five appearances for the under-18 side.
An under-18 QLD and ex-Australian AIS rep, OHanlon had an arm broken in 2008 and was troubled by related shoulder fractures until the reconstruction last July.
