The 17-year-old from Cundletown jetted to Amsterdam last Friday with the squad. This is his maiden overseas trip, although hockey has taken him all around Australia since he made his first NSW team while in primary school.

The Australians will play practice matches in the Netherlands and France to prepare for the week-long Four Nations Championship. Australia, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium will contest the event. Harry was selected in the 18 strong side last year following the Australian All Schools championships. Here he defied the pain of tendonitis in his Achilles that hampered him for much of the hockey season.

“It was okay, I was able to manage it,’’ he said.

Now Harry is 100 per cent fit and couldn’t wait to to get on the plane, although he thought the 22 hour flight would be ‘boring.’

A striker, he is backing himself to earn a spot in the run-on XI for the major assignments. He knows most of his team-mates from playing in national titles over the years. The Australians haven’t had a run together year, but Harry explains they'll spend much of this week working towards the Four Nations campaign.

“We’ve think the other teams in the Four Nations will be under 18s,’’ he said.

“So it’s going to be tough, but I’m looking forward to playing overseas.’’

Harry was a member of the NSW under 18 team beaten in the final of the Australian titles last month in Hobart. In a bizarre twist the Blues lost to Pakistan under 18s 3-2 in the decider.

“Apparently they (Pakistan) were supposed to tour New Zealand, but it fell through so they were allowed to enter our nationals. We beat them in a pool match – they were skillful, but I thought we had a better team.’’

He’s had a hectic season. Harry plays in the Sydney first division with Bankstown on Saturdays and in Newcastle with Maitland on Sundays. When time allows he turns out with Chatham in the Mid North Coast Premier League, although his appearances have been limited. He’s relishing the strong competitons, especially Sydney, where he’s up against some of the best in Australia when they’re not on international duty. Harry’s in year 11 at St Clare’s High School. Ultimately he’d like to gain a spot playing and training out of the NSW Institute of Sport when he leaves school.

But he was more concerned about his assignment on the other side of the world when he spoke to the Times.

“I can’t wait to get there,’’ he smiled.