A strong contingent Nelson Bay Junior Rugby Union Club players will pull on the Hunter Wildfires colours this long weekend and represent the region at the NSW Junior Rugby Union State Championships.
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Nineteen junior Gropers selected earlier in the year for Hunter Wildfires squads in the under-12 to under-18 age groups will head to venues across Sydney, Orange and Dubbo to play in the three-day state championships.
It will be a cold weekend for players with Dubbo and Orange - where the under-13 and 14 championships will be held - blanketed by snow on Thursday.
The junior Gropers boys line up for the state championship following their Hunter representative duties at the NSW Country Championships in May.
From the under-12 age group, Gropers Rory Tyacke and Edmilson Neculman played for the Hunter team which came in fourth overall at the country championship.
Anakin Richardson, in under-13s, and Jake Affleck, in under-14s, represented the Bay in the Hunter teams.
Anakin was injured in the Wildfires' second game but has healed in time for the state championship in Dubbo. He got to meet and train with Wallaby legend David Campese, who has been inspiring him and the team for the past couple of weeks.
Jake, a big and powerful second rower, was instrumental in the Hunter team's win of the under-14 country championship and was selected in NSW country squad.
In the under-15, 16, 18s country championships held in Armidale on May 8 and 9, the Hunter teams boasted Bay players Oscar Affleck, Hunter Westwood, Darcy Brown, Ethan Howarth, Jed Smith, Corey McDougall, Ian Beale, Lucas Bakker, Tyler Jarvis, Caleb Martin and Hayden Wilson.
The Wildfires' under-15 squad had Nelson Bay coach Clint Brown at the helm and manager Michelle Smith on staff.
- EARLIER STORY: Nelson Bay talent strengthens Hunter Wildfires squads
The squad's long running success at the country championships came to an end with the Hunter narrowly going down in the quarter finals to Central West 14-13.
Oscar, in under-15s, was named forward of the tournament. Oscar, Darcy, Ian and Corey were further selected in the NSW country squad.
In under-16s, Mason Atkinson and Alex Howarth gave their all for Hunter, which placed fifth.
In under-18s, Gropers Lewis Affleck, Sam Mitchell and Kai Vincent demonstrated that the weekly haul to Gateshead for training was worth it. The Hunter squad come out of the country tournament eventual championship winners over a very strong Mid-North Coast team in the final, 20-17.
Kai was selected in the NSW country team.
The Gropers junior club hosted the under-12, 13 and 14 county championships at Salamander Sports Complex on May 15 and 16.
"With sunny skies, we had over 2500 people in attendance with teams from all over the state - from Illawarra, Far North Coast, Central North and Central West - coming to Port Stephens for the weekend, keeping our coffee vans and barbecue very busy," club secretary Kellie Vincent said.
In further selections, this time in the school representative pathway, for NSW PSSA junior Gropers Rory Tyacke and Cameron Dolly trialed and gained selection in the Hunter Zone team to complete in Mudgee later in the year while Jed Smith has been selected in the under-16 CHS team and Will Clark in the AICES opens team.
All NSW country players attended a training camp at the Academy of Sport in Narrabeen last weekend and participated in games versus the Schoolboys.
All players will have the opportunity to be selected in one of four Gen Blue NSW Waratah teams through these various pathway programs.
Selectors will be on the lookout for talented players at the NSW state championships this weekend.
"All of this representative rugby comes at a large financial cost to families with various levys, travel, accommodation and time off work to attend," Vincent said.
We thank our senior club and junior sponsors in Pure Property, RJS Maintenance Plumbing, Ripcom and Waste to Go. Various fund-raisers will be organised in the coming months to support our boys."
The NSW Junior Rugby Union State Championships will be streamed online through Clutch TV.
Updates will also be made on the NSW Junior Rugby Union Facebook page.
- RELATED READING: Terrace junior selected for under-13 Hunter Wildfires team
NSW Junior Rugby Union State Championships schedule
Under-12 boys championship to be held in Camden
Under-13 boys championship to be held in Dubbo
Under-14 boys championship to be held in Orange
Under-15 boys championship to be held in Concord
Under-16 boys championship to be held in Warriewood
Under-18 boys championship to be held in Warriewood
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