NORTH Coast Bulldogs under 16 and 18 representative rugby league teams in the Andrew Johns Cup (16s) and Laurie Daley Cup (18s) head to Wyong tomorrow needing a win to keep their campaigns alive.
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Both performed credibly when drawing with Parramatta in the opening round fixtures at Tuncurry last weekend. Now they are looking to post their first victories of the season in the second round against the Central Coast Roosters.
"I haven't been doing the math, but I wouldn't think you could lose too many games and stay in the race,'' North Coast under 18 coach Darrin Dark from Old Bar said.
He was pleased with the way his team performed against a much bigger Eels side.
"You're always a bit apprehensive when you see your side go in against a team the size of Parramatta,'' he said.
"But we were pretty impressive.''
This is Dark's first foray into representative coaching. He's enjoyed the experience, especially working with coaching director Dave Hamilton.
Hamilton was Dark's coach at the Old Bar Pirates when the club won the Group Three Saturday League premiership in 1994.
"It's been a lot of hard work but it's been enjoyable,'' Dark said.
He said the input from the Canterbury Bulldogs has also been appreciated.
"They've shown a fair bit of care and they'll have officials watching our games on Saturday.''
The North Coast Bulldogs side for tomorrow's Laurie Daley Cup match is: Kaine Parkinson (Macleay Valley); Miles Monta (Macleay Valley), Lachlan Williams (Old Bar), Eli Clark (Forster-Tuncurry) , Mitch Evans (Port Macquarie); Nash Atkins (Wingham), Jack Wood (Forster-Tuncurry); Blake Howle (Coffs Harbour), Ivan Madden (Kempsey), Brock Parker (Coffs Harbour), Jordan Moore (Macksville), Ulysses Roberts (Macksville, captain), Bailey Morgan (Coffs Harbour). Interchange Logan Jones (Bowraville), Laiden Sakaio (Sawtell), Jaxon O’Connor (Old Bar), Rhys Kendall (Camden Haven), James Munro (Coffs Harbour).
North Coast Bulldogs under 16s: Malakhi Donovan (Sawtell); Oshea Tyerman (Kempsey), Mitchell Clark (Wauchope), Bailey Thompson (Kempsey), Tirrel Dungay (Kempsey); Joe Lewis (Port Macquarie) ,Riley Cribb (Wauchope); Damon Allison (Wingham), Grady Spokes (Sawtell), Travys Downtown (Sawtell), Jaxson Longa (Old Bar), Ben Brennan (Port Macquarie), Harry Grant (Forster-Tuncurry). Interchange Tim Bull (Kempsey), Bailey Whitby (Wingham), Lachlan Morgan-Monk (Wauchope), Joe Mitchell (Sawtell), Dante Wilson-Ho (Sawtell).
