Times-Iguana Sportstar of the Week
MITCH Black quickly adapted to a new position when he played for Northern Country in the recent State Catholic Colleges under 15 representative rugby league trials.
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The Taree St Clare’s High School student usually plays five-eighth for his club side, Taree Panthers, while he has had some experience in the spot in representative football.
However, a glut of halves at the trials saw Mitch moved from six to nine. This proved to be a masterstroke as Mitch was named in the NSW Catholic Colleges under 15 side to play in the NSW championships in Port Macquarie starting on Sunday.
He is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sportstar of the Week, earning a $50 open order at Iguana.
The Northern Countryside performed solidly at the trials, finishing fourth and Mitch said he was ‘pretty happy’ with the way he played. He gave himself a reasonable chance of selection in the State side. Moving to hooker wasn’t a major issue.
“There was a bit more tackling, but I enjoy that,’’ he said.
However, he isn’t sure if his future is in the number nine jumper. There’ll be a bit of a family reunion when NSW CCC meets the NSW Combined High Schools side. Mitch’s cousin, Harry Croker, will play in the second row for CHS. Harry attends Taree High School and plays with Mitch in the Panthers under 15s.
The pair have been on opposite teams a couple of times, usually in schoolboy games and Mitch admits that Harry has the upper hand as far as the win ratio is concerned. He’s hoping the even things up at Port Macquarie.
The CCC squad has had one training run and a trial against the West Tigers Harold Matthews side, where they won 3 tries to 2.
Mitch is confident they’ll be among the front runners next week.
He started playing rugby league with the Panthers as an eight-year-old.
Unfortunately training commitments with the State team robbed him and Harry of the opportunity to represent Group Three in the Country Championships played at Tuncurry last weekend.
Rugby league is his number one sport. He has played a bit of cricket and touch football.
(Harry Croker will receive the sportstar award at the conclusion of the championships).