The 19-year-old has been selected to play for NSW Country in matches against the NSW Waratahs under 20, NSW under 19s and Queensland Country in the next month. Mylonas will be the hooker.

He is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sportstar of the Week, earning a $50 open order at Iguana.

Mylonas moved from the Manning Ratz to powerful Newcastle club Wanderers, saying he wanted a ‘challenge.’ A former team-mate, Lachlan Leeming, had contacts with Wanderers and lined him up with the club.

“They’re a great club, I’m glad I went there,’’ Mylonas said.

An apprentice jeweller, he still lives in Taree so is required to travel to Newcastle twice a week for training as well as game day.

So far the road trips haven’t fazed him.

“Some days I lack a bit of motivation. But once I get down there and start running around it’s fine,’’ he said.

He played breakaway with the Ratz, but as soon as he arrived at training with his new club he knew his days at the side of the scrum were limited.

“All the breakaways were about six foot – they’re as tall as,’’ he laughed.

Mylonas trialed as hooker and his form was good enough to earn him a place in the first grade team for early season matches, although he played under 19s last weekend while standing by for the other grades. He was also invited to play for Newcastle colts in the Country Championships held at Port Macquarie. Mylonas didn’t think he done enough at Port to attract the attention of selectors, and said he was ‘really surprised’ to get a start with the Country Colts.

He’s been around rugby for as long as he can remember as his dad, Chris, is a former long serving player with the Old Bar Clams. He was also a hooker.

“I started going to the rugby with mum and dad when I was a young kid,’’ he said.

While he mainly played soccer as a junior, he dabbled in rugby at school and signed with the Ratz after the turned 16. With no minor grades in the Lower North Coast competition, Mylonas was thrown straight into first grade and he thinks this has helped his development.

“I was playing against big blokes straight away,’’ he said.

He also represented Mid North Coast colts (under 21s) when he was just 17.

Mylonas admits adjusting to the more structured, faster and harder Newcastle competition is a work in progress.

“But I’ll get there,’’ he promises.

He finishes his apprenticeship this year and will consider a move south full time for season 2018.