EXCITEMENT is building amongst Junior Rugby League officials in the far South West area of the state as all roads on Saturday lead to Charleville for the annual National Rugby League Development Northern versus Southern Queensland Outback Junior Challenge Carnival.
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Mount Isa will send an under-14 and under-16 Northern Outback representative team to compete in the carnival’s fifth year.
The carnival heads for the first time to the South West area of the state.
Shaun Radnedge and his hard-working volunteers from the Charleville and District Junior Rugby League Committee have put in many long hours and have worked tirelessly in the last few months in preparation for the carnival.
One of the many players to come from this carnival has been Coen Hess, who formerly played for the Black Stars Junior Club in Mount Isa.
Hess is now a vital member of the North Queensland Cowboys under-20s team, culminating in his selection in this year’s winning Junior Kangaroos under-20s Team.
The Northern Outback Teams are mainly made up of players that compete in the Mount Isa Junior Rugby League competition, whilst Southern Outback teams are selected from players from the townships of Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine, Blackall, Charleville, Augathella and Mitchell.
At the conclusion of the carnival, Queensland Outback under-14s and under-16s representative teams will be selected.
Northern Outback representative co-ordinator Chris Waters said there is major significance in having a carnival such as this available to juniors.
“There is a representative pathway now firmly established and entrenched on an annual basis,” Waters said.
“It may well open the door for future Outback teams to work to a level, where they may be good enough to attend Carnivals of a higher standard, such as the QRL State Junior Championships.”
The selected under-14s and 16s teams will travel to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast to compete in the Glyn Rees Cultural Exchange City-Country Carnival on the weekend of June 27-28.
Round 1 games will commence on Saturday morning, with round 2 matches to be played early in the afternoon, Saturday’s scheduled program also includes local Charleville and District Junior Rugby League games as well as a womens’ match along with a Western League A Grade senior fixture.
The well-coached Northern Outback Teams with their superior fitness and size have been a dominate force in both age groups at recent NRL Development Outback Shield Carnivals, buttheir Southern Outback cousins will be ultra-keen to reverse these results.
TEAM NEWS
The Shaun Radnedge coached Southern Outback under-14s boys will have local lads Matthew Delforce and Jack Radnedge to control things in the halves. Speedy outside backs Wajerra Briggs and Lachlan Rose are set to star whilst the forward pack will be ably lead into battle by Central West boys Kent Tanks and Matthew Worland.
Northern Outback under-14s coach Bruce Nott has plenty of size and mobility in his forward pack with Townies Club teammates Manahi McGregor, Leroy Snelling and Kaelin Kerekere alongside Conah Sealy who will give the side plenty of strength in the middle. The very elusive Steven Numambo and hard-running centres Michael Coffison and Trent Roberts are also players to look out for.
Southern Outback under-16s coaches Nigel Steedman and Dwayne Kangan will no doubt be relying heavily on their big men Jayden Aramoana and Steven Card to give them some forward movement. The creativity of Jay Steedman at halfback along with the speedy outside backs in Adam Hughes, Warren Draper, and Royden Age is expected to be on show.
The Northern Outback under-16s side under the guidance of Mount Isa’s ‘‘Mr Football’’ Scott Kyle, appears to have plenty of size out wide in Jarom Mairu, Isaiah Bell and Malachi Retchford. Kyle also has speedy Mahana Ellison at the back and ‘‘Bruise Brothers’’ Jeremy Murphy and Cooper Roll at his disposal up front.
Previous Winners of the NRL Development QLD Outback Junior Shield Carnivals:
2011 – Winton
Under-14s – Northern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Shaun Booth - Northern)
Under-16s – Southern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Matt Hempstead - Southern)
2012 – Longreach
Under-14s – Northern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Shaun Booth - Northern)
Under-16s – Northern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Mark Bull - Northern)
2013 – Barcaldine
Under-14s – Northern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Isaiah Bell - Northern)
Under-16s – Northern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Shaun Booth - Northern)
2014 – Mount Isa
Under-14s – Northern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Malachi Retchford - Northern)
Under-16s – Northern Outback – Player of the Carnival (Hunter Chong - Northern)
