THE NSW Country under 16s representative side, featuring Nowra Warriors' Jonah Longbottom, will take on the New South Wales Rugby League Harold Matthews under 16s representative team, as a curtain raiser to the Penrith Panthers vs New Zealand Warriors NRL match at Penrith Stadium on Friday, May 17.
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The 20-man NSW Country squad contains some of the brightest regional talent from the CRL Andrew Johns Cup competition and a combined 15 players from finalists Northern Rivers Titans and Western Rams.
CRL elite pathways football manager Matt Parish is excited for the unique occasion.
"It is great to see the 'City vs Country' concept that was originally started in 1911 is still alive and it is a wonderful opportunity for our players to be a part of it," Parish said.
"The match is also a fantastic opportunity for our representative players to test themselves against Metropolitan NSW's best junior representative players on stage at Penrith Stadium.
"Following Friday's match, a NSW squad will be chosen to face an under 16s Pasifika team in June, so it would be pleasing to see some country representatives selected as a result of their performance."
The NSWRL Harold Matthews vs NSW Country under 16s match will be played from 4:10pm.
Joining Longbottom in the Shaun Davison coached side are Braye Porter, Rowan Mansfield, Reagan Hurley, Reef Sommerville, Malakhi Donovan, Riley Lack, Thomas Weaver, Jackson Gersbach, Oskar Bryant, Jack Cullen, Aston Warwick, Ryan Foran, Finnley Neilsen, Kyle Mawhinney, Noah Johannssen, Mark Simon, Matthew Noakes, Keegan Pace and Jock Brazel.
While the Luke Vella coached Harold Matthews side features Joseph Suaalii, Terrell Kalo Kalo, Fletcher Myers, Paul Alamoti, Turoa Williams, Joseph O'Neill, Jonah Pezet, Noah Reed, Noah Nailagoliva, Davvy Moale, Brandon Tumeth, Oryn Keeley, Max Bradbury, Kobie Wilson, Faresa Palu, Tristyn Ball, Lachlan Crouch, Israel Ahofono, David Langi and William Taliai.
