IT will be a case of mate against mate at the NSW Country Championships in Armidale this weekend after Hunter Juniors answered an SOS from other zones.
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About 200 boys and girls will represent the Hunter Wildfires at the championships in divisions from under-12s through to under-18s.
As well as those playing for the Wildfires, another 80 Hunter juniors have been drafted into rival teams to ensure that all zones have enough players to compete. They will also vie for Country selection.
"We were approached by zones asking if we had any spare players that could fill teams to ensure the kids from those zones got to go to country," Hunter Junior president Kobus Hattingh said. "Hunter juniors are in a healthy position and we were happy to help the other zones and grow the game. Those kids will come back with experience and fight for positions in Wildfires teams next season.
"The players have have all had training sessions with the other zones. In the under-15s, our kids went to Scone and the New England kids came down. That shows the commitment from the players parents."
Hunter Wildfires development coach Tom Davidson will be in Armidale this weekend for the 15s,16 and 18s boys championships to promote the colts program for next year.
Hunter won the under-14 and under-18 divisions at the girls NSW Country Championships at Kiama last weekend. The under-12s, 13s and 14s boys titles will be held at Nelson Bay on May 15-16.
** Singleton stalwart Anthony Partridge marked his 300th game in style with a try in a 25-0 win over Nelson Bay. The only glitch was an attempted conversion from in front, that started right and kept going that way.
Going by Parto's pictures on social media the popular Bull had a drink to mark every game he played, including a dose of Stone's Green Ginger Wine on the bus trip home.
** Hamilton third grade tighthead prop Ndabezinhle Mothobi notched his 300th game for the Hawks against Merewether on Saturday.
Affectionately knows as "Stubbs", Mothobi joined Hamilton in 2007 and is only the fourth Hawk in their history to reach the 300 milestone.
He has played 139 games in third grade, chalked up nine in first grade, 55 in seconds , 96 fourth grade games and one colts appearance.
** It was a proud moment for former Hamilton first-grade prop and former hardman Pat Gleeson on Saturday when he presented the No.7 jumper to son Jack for his top grade debut at the Hawks. Jack scored a try in the 102-0 rout of Lake Macquarie
** Nelson Bay may have held on to beat Singleton 31-27 in first grade but there was a lot to like about the Bulls, especially the emergence of winger Ethan Mcloughlin.Twice the teenager burnt off noted gropers speedster Chad Northcott on the way to the tryline.
** Former Lake Macquarie junior Nick Benn made his first grade debut for Manly on Saturday.
Still eligible for colts, Benn was used of the bench on the wing in the Marlins 38-27 win over Western Sydney Two Blues.