Talented Wests back-rower Joey Dickson has been included in a 16-man Illawarra squad to tackle Newcastle in the Steel City Challenge, as part of a bumper representative schedule on the South Coast.
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The May 15-16 events will include open age and under 20 battles with their Hunter region rivals, as well as City-Country clashes, including physical disability athletes at Collegians and wheelchair rugby league at Ron Costello Oval.
But in the meantime, Dickson is focused on Saturday's Illawarra President's Cup showdown with Thirroul at Parrish Park.
The Butchers and Devils are locked together in second place on the ladder, having both lost to Collegians so far.
"They're always tough and you know you're going to be into them until the end," Dickson said . "t's easy to get up for."
Dickson expects the emerging young players in the Wests squad will only improve as they build towards the the crucial games later in the season in the five-team competition.
"There's a really good vibe," Dickson said about the club. "You've got the young dudes and I'm the same, you're still fighting every week for your spot.
"It keeps everyone competitive, it's a good competitive atmosphere to be around."
In the other game on Saturday, Corrimal and Dapto will fight for their first victory of the campaign when they meet at Ziems Park.
The bumper representative schedule later in May will also feature under 16, 18 and women's open age Country-City battles to be played at Parramatta's Bankwest Stadium.
The under 16s Country team includes Caleb Hall, Bailey Marks (Gerringong), Dextar Grant (Stingrays), Clay Baldock (Wests) and Jai Duncan (Thirroul), while the under 18s Country team, will be led by Dragons' Ben Rumble (Collegians) and Ryan Couchman (Thirroul).
ILLAWARRA
v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, May 16
Collegians Sports Complex
Illawarra: Tom Angel (Collegians), Liam Cassidy (Collegians), Hayden Crosland (Thirroul), Joseph Dickson (Western Suburbs), Joshua Dowell (Collegians), Jake Fitzgerald (Collegians), Ryan Fletcher (Thirroul), Scott Galeano (Thirroul), Dylan Lauri (Wests), Colby Pellow (Wests), Blake Phillips (Collegians), Mitch Porter (Wests), Alex Reid (Collegians), Liam Scot (Corrimal), Jarrod Thompson (Collegians), Jackson Walsh (Wests), Tarje Whitford (Thirroul) Jackson Willis (Collegians).
