BEFORE Broncos-bound front rower Kurt Warden heads north to begin his association with the National Rugby League (NRL) he still has some rocks to turn as a Catholic school boy.
Warden will pull on a jersey for the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) side at the Australian Schoolboys Championships in Burleigh Heads next month.
The 17-year-old Nelson Bay junior was chosen in an extended NSW CCC squad last month and was surprised to survive the final cut after a recent trial against the Wests Tigers Cubs at Leichardt.
"It is actually really hard to get in, there are some really good players there," he said.
For Warden, who now attends All Saints St Mary's College at Maitland, it will be his second appearance at state level, having represented the Combined Higher Schools in under 15s.
The Corlette powerhouse will move to Brisbane in November where he is contracted to the Broncos National Youth Competition for the next two years.
"NYC (Toyota Cup) next year is definitely the plan...and they have said that I'm more or less an investment in their future."
If successful at the Burleigh Heads tournament Warden could be asked to join honour roll NRL and Origin stars like Braith Anasta, Michael Jennings and Greg Bird in the Australian Schoolboys team.
That side will tour England and France following the Higher School Certificate.
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