A host of Illawarra and South Coast rugby league players and coaches will feature in NSWRL City v Country representative matches this weekend.
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The opening day of competition tomorrow includes matches for Under 16s, Under 18s and Women's Open Age at 4 Pines Park, Brookvale; while a Wheelchair Rugby League match will be played at Niagara Park Stadium on the Central Coast.
The second day of competition on Sunday will include matches for Physical Disability Rugby League, Women's Police, Men's Police and Men's Open Age at Leichhardt Oval.
New Wests Tigers centre and former St George Illawarra NRLW player Keele Browne will debut for the NSW Country Women's Open Age team.
"This time last year I was up in Queensland with the Under 19s girls. I'm looking forward to the step up in competition and can't wait for the game," she told the Mercury.
"We've been in camp since Wednesday. It's been great for me getting to know all the players. Tegan Berry is perhaps the only person I knew in our team before the camp.
"I'm expecting a tough game. They have a really good side.
"I actually knew a lot more of the City girls then my own Country team coming into camp because a lot of Tigers and St George Illawarra girls are in that team.
"It's going to be interesting playing against a lot of old team-mates."
Meantime, Aaron Hertsch from the Wests Devils is coaching the NSW Country Under 16s boy's team.
Hertsch is hoping to fare better than last year when he was assistant coach of the Country team well beaten by the "superstar" City outfit.
"We are happy with our preparations in camp. Everyone has bought in and I've been really impressed by the way its all come together," he said.
"We are happy with what we've done so we will see how we go I guess.
"They're a big team. If we can hang with them for the first 15-20 minutes we are going to give ourselves some opportunities.
"We just need to hang tough for that first bit and see what happens."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
