Sixty of the state’s most talented Under-16 Indigenous rugby league players gathered at the NSW Academy of Sport in Narrabeen last week for a five-day camp in a bid to earn a position in the 20-man NSWRL/KARI Aboriginal Resources Under-16s squad for 2016.
The team selected will play at Suncorp Stadium against Queensland’s Under-16s Indigenous side as the curtain-raiser to next year's NRL All Stars match against the Indigenous All Stars in Brisbane on 13 February.
Rugby league legends Ronny Gibbs, Rod Silva, Ian Naden, Scott Mieni and Dennis Moran took part in the camp, which saw the promising youngsters complete off-field education as well as work on the training paddock.
The boys undertook four units that form part of the Certificate III in Fitness, a higher level of study than most of the players are currently undertaking at high school.
The boys completed:
- SISFFIT306A Provide healthy eating information to clients in accordance with recommended guidelines
- SISXOHS101A Follow occupational health and safety policies
- SISXRSK301A Undertake risk analysis of activities
- SISSSPT303A Conduct basic warm up and cool down programs
The players who miss out on selection will still be eligible for a number of other programs to be held throughout the year.
The NSWRL KARI Under-16s Indigenous side will be named in the lead up to the clash in February.
