Glen Innes’ Jayden Ehsman was one of seven Group 19 players selected for the Greater Northern Tigers’ inaugural under 23s squad after a successful Northern Championships campaign.
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Ehsman was selected at fullback for the regional team after playing five-eighth at the competition in Armidale on Saturday but said he doesn’t have a preference to where he plays.
"I played fullback for the last four years after playing half most of my junior footy,” he said.
"I am just happy to be selected in the squad, I wasn't too fussed on if I got selected or not I just was happy to play footy.”
Country Rugby League introduced the under 23s division for the first time this year and it was the Group 19 team who were named the best in Northern NSW after storming home to win both their matches.
Against Group 4, the home side had far too much class and ran out 34-12 winners.
"It is really interesting to see the quality of players, now it is under 23s,” Ehsman said.
"We touched up Group 4, which we weren't really expecting considering we only had two training sessions together as a squad.
"We just gelled well together, everyone worked together.”
A late comeback in their match against Group 21 saw them steal the victory 34-28.
"Group 21, they were a bigger squad but we didn't let size worry and we just got away with the win there so it was good to be the first ever under 23s side to win the competition,” Ehsman said.
"They were up by 10 with eight minutes to go and we just said 'we probably won't play with each other again for a very long time so let's just rip in for the last 10 and see where it takes us' and we forced a mistake and crossed over with a bit of luck on our side.
"We take a bit of luck with it as well but we deserved the luck because we played well to get it.”
Moree Boomerang’s Kyle Saunders captained the team and said it was a great pathway for some of the younger players to compete at a representative level.
“First time captain so getting a taste of it is really good,” he said.
“Gives us country boys a go, with young fellas coming through and gaining experience.”
Of the last match, Saunders said it was up to the players to stick to what they knew.
“It was staying in the grind, running it out, sticking to our game plans and having trust in each other and it payed off,” he said.
Glen Innes’ Sasha Harrington also impressed on the field in the league tag and was selected for the ladies’ Tigers team.
Group 19 lost their first match to eventual winners Group 4 30-nil but won their second against Group 21 28-6.
Group 4 made it three in a row for the Jane Walmsley shield after two massive wins.
After their win against Group 19, they had an even bigger victory against Group 21 with a 48-4.
Abby Schmiedel was one of nine Collegian Warriors selected for Group 4 and was also picked in the Greater Northern side.
“It is a pretty special effort,” she said.
“I think we have improved every year but this year we combined pretty well.”
At the conclusion of the day’s matches both divisions announced teams to compete in the Country Championships with the first match against the Central Coast.
Under-23s: Jayden Ehsman, Joe Adams, Kyle Saunders, Malcolm McGrady, Matt Thompson, Mitch Doring, Brandon McGrady, Rohan Pottinger, Jarrod Wicks, Dylan Thorne, Mitch Dening, Andrew Pritchard, Isaac Austin, James Ballinger, Daniel Howe, Casey Bowman, Callum Hayne and Damien McIntosh.
League tag: Abby Schmiedel, Maddy Adams, Hayley Ford, Holly Fisher-Webster, Jacqui Jones, Amy Barraclough, Leica Le Brocq, Jess Brown, Tiffany Walsh, Michelle Walmsley, Kim Resch, Harmony Liddell, Carissa Baldwin, Jess Baker, Aimee Diebold and Sasha Harrington.