Under 18s players to gain selection included (back row) Brodie Hodges, Blake Baxter (front), Matt Park and Tim Coombs.

With a talented young group of players to choose from selectors had a somewhat difficult task in naming their representative squad.

Teams from across the region converged on Dubbo’s Apex Oval for the selection and a chance to gain a spot in the side.

Forbes players to gain selection were winger Tim Coombs, five eight Tim Baxter, hooker Brody Hodges, prop Mathew Park and second rower Troy Hodges.

Group 11 will play against Group 10 and Castlereagh Cup squads in Blayney on March 20 before the Western Rams squad is announced to contest the Country Championships to be played at Muswellbrook.

Group 11 coach and selector Neil Millgate was joined by Geoff Acheson from Forbes, Cobar’s Dave Powell, Greg McIntosh and Paul Loxley (Dubbo) in naming the team.

“The standard was good,” Millgate said.

“It took us until the second last game to pick a side.

“It was a pretty even competition but because it was their first games of the season there were a lot of mistakes,” Millgate added.

Running the competition in a round robin style for the second year in a row Millgate said the carnival was once again a success.

“It is a good concept and it worked well again,” he said.

“There was only one or two tries scored in some games proving it was a tough competition.”

Millgate said the Forbes side was one of the standouts of the day as indicated by their selections.

“They had a good side on the weekend so I’d say they’ll have a good side through the year,” he said.

Although Millgate is yet to get hold of the Group 10 squad he was confident they would be strong.

He does however have confidence in his own squad.

“We have a very good forward pack, they are all workers,” he said.

“We also have a quick back line, but I’m not sure what the other teams will have.”

While Cobar had only one player come down for the trial, Nyngan was also absent which is a concern for Group 11 secretary Bob Walsh.

He did however predict Forbes to be strong in under-18s this season.

Meanwhile, Wellington officials were disappointed that only Corey Stanley was named on the interchange bench.

Group 11’s first training session will be held this evening from 6.30pm at Apex Oval, followed by another session this Sunday.

GROUP 11 UNDER-18S: 1 Jyie Chapman (Macquarie), 2 Tim Coombs (Forbes), 3 Jack Shaw (Parkes), 4 Eric Fernando (Macquarie), 5 Ray Ebsworth (Cobar), 6 Blake Baxter (Forbes), 7 Matthew Toole (Maquarie), 8 Jordan Hay (CYMS), 9 Brody Hodges (Forbes), 10 Mathew Park (Forbes), 11 Matt Langby (Macquarie), 12 Troy Hodges (Forbes), 13 Sam Coster (Parkes).

RAIDER TRAP: Moruya-Tuross Sharks player James Desaxe in action for the Group 16 under 16 side against the Canberra Raiders at Mackay Park on Sunday.

The Melbourne Storm under 18 and under 16 teams, Canberra Raiders under 16 team, Southern Division White and Blue under 18 teams, the Far South Coast under 18 team and the Group 16 under 16 team all produced football of a standard that would have been entertaining in any conditions, let alone in the stifling heat of Sunday.

“It was a very successful day, even though it was so bloody hot,” Batemans Bay Tigers committee member and Group 7 director David Hayward said.

“The refs were knackered at the end of the day.”

The Moruya-Tuross Sharks had James Desaxe, Bodie Larden, Zac Haberland, Joel Pietsch, Rhys Kennedy and Dylan Johnston in the Group 16 side, while the Batemans Bay Tigers had Jarred Wood-Johnston and former player Dylan Cummins in the Southern Division sides.

(These sides consisted of Group 6 and 7 under 18 players).

Desaxe, whose team played matches against the Melbourne and Canberra under 16s, said it was the most challenging football he had ever played.

“It was hard in the heat, and because it was the first game of the year, but it was a good experience to find out what it’s like playing against those guys,” he said.

Desaxe found out how heart-breaking football can be when the Storm scored a 100m try in the last 10 seconds to deny his team victory in their first match.

“We were about to score and we dropped it, and they scored at the other end,” he said.

The team lost its second match, against Canberra, 12-4.

“We were all buggered,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Moruya Sharks senior club has scored a massive coup by securing the speaking services of legendary St George-Illawarra Dragons coach Wayne Bennett for a fundraising night at Moruya Golf Club on March 20.

It all started with a conversation between Bennett and Ack Weyman, Moruya rugby league stalwart and father of Dragons prop Michael.

“Wayne asked me how local rugby league was going in Moruya, and said if I ever wanted him to come down for a fund-raiser, he would,” Weyman said.

“He was going to do it last year, but he didn’t get the chance, but now he has donated his services.”

For more information on the night and to book tickets, call Ack Weyman on 0428 743 106.

“It’s a great opportunity, so the more we get there the better.”

This function will follow a trial game between the Sharks and ACT side Woden Valley Rams at Ack Weyman Oval.

The Batemans Bay Tigers season opening will be delayed due to the withdrawal of the Robertson club from Group 7, which has necessitated a redrawing of the competition.

Of the 10 games played this summer the GNA teams won eight of them, with the Yellow (Under 18s) side not only undefeated this season but also undefeated as Under 17s last year.

The day started with easy wins over North Coast and then concluded with more hard-fought success over Northern Rivers.

“We dominated the North Coast sides, with the 17s winning 34-nil and the 18s winning 26-4,” GNA head coach Jamie McCormack said.

“Then we faced fresh Northern Rivers sides and they really gave us a challenge.

“In the 17s it was nil-all at halftime so they really tested our 17s but in the end we ran out winners 18-6.

“That was a great result for the younger guys and they’ve really peaked at the right time.

“The Northern Rivers also really stuck it to our boys and led the game at times but we ground out a tough win 18-16.

“So our graduating Under 18s have gone through two years of the academy program undefeated.”

Gunnedah’s Matt Baker was devastating with ball in hand in the first game with two tries while Jack Broughton and Heath McIlveen also led the way up front.

“Matt Baker is raw but probably one of the most talented players we’ve ever had come into the program,” McCormack said.

“We hope that he and the other Under 17 players all come back for a second year in the program because we don’t know what they’re capable of.

“They’re very good.

“Another player I’d mention is Edin Blewitt. “He was outstanding.

“Heath McIlveen and Jack Broughton really rolled their sleeves up against Northern Rivers and Ben Williams, our fullback from Moree, also played very well.”

In the older age group, Daley Boney was hard to handle and Cameron Rodgers directed play from the dummy half position.

“We’re very happy with them,” McCormack said.

“Cameron Rodgers for one and Jock McHatten and one guy who has improved probably more than anyone over the two years is Joh Mathers.

“This crop of players has been outstanding.

The program started back in October with trials and the players, staff and parents have put in a lot of hours since then.

But it’s all been worth it.

“We think our program has been a great success,” McCormack said.

“The kids are drawn to it.

“Our next group of inductees will trial in October and we’ll have another group of kids with a lot of ability that we can improve.