FORMER Newcastle Knight Nathan Ross has been named in the Group Three Rugby League representative squad to meet Group Two in a North Coast selection trial at Kempsey on Saturday, February 11.
Ross, a utility back, will turn out for the Wingham Tigers next year.
Group Three chief executive Mal Drury said Ross was one of the players who fronted for a training run last month.
"He apparently trained the house down and is keen to play in the rep game,'' Mr Drury said.
The group has named a squad for the game, with former Forster-Tuncurry captain-coach Nathan Campbell the captain-coach. Campbell will be playing for Wingham next season. Wingham captain-coach Mitch Collins is also in the Group Three squad.
The squad is: Nathan Ross, Tirell Dungay, Ron Uhlia, Braith Powick, Sam Watts, Nick Smith, Beau Lowry, Christian Hazard, Rhys Matsen, Mat Bird, Jesse Douglas, Richie Roberts, Liam Simon, Riley Glover, Ethan Cooper, Isaiah Barker, Mitch Collins, Nick Beacham, Kyran Bubb, Tavis Felsch, Nathan Campbell.
However, Mr Drury concedes it is difficult to get many players interested in representative football at this time of the year.
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A Mid North Coast side will be named at the conclusion of the group game to play in the country regional championship.
At this stage Mid North Coast will play three preliminary matches - against Central Coast at Maitland on February 18, Newcastle at Tuncurry on February 25 and Northern Inland at Ballina on March 4.
The highly credentialed Robert 'Rip' Taylor from Coffs Harbour will coach the Mid North Coast side.
Mr Drury pointed out that Mid North Coast's preparations for the regional champions were thrown into disarray in the past two years due to COVID and then on-going wet weather.
Meanwhile utility back Toby De Stefano has returned to his junior club, Taree City, after a stint at the Old Bar Pirates. De Stefano usually plays in the halves although he has also played hooker.
Forster-Tuncurry has retained the services of representative hooker Riley Glover.
Glover returned to his junior club this year after a stint on the Gold Coast. It's known that at least one other Group Three club was inquiring about his services for next year. However, the Hawks announced his retention this week.
Jake Bolt has been appointed first grade coach at the Hawks with the club to start training next Tuesday.
Former Forster winger, Ron Uhlia has signed with the Wingham Tigers.
