Six Valley footballers make Gladiators final cut

GHOSTS and Rebels players account for one third of the Group 2 representative side to take on Group 3 at Sawtell on Saturday.

Ghosts Mitch Gorman with the ball during the 1st round of Group 2 premier rugby league match between the Grafton Ghosts and Nambucca Heads Roosters at Frank McGuren Park, Grafton, 25th March, 2017. Picture: Debrah Novak

RUGBY LEAGUE: Grafton Ghosts and South Grafton Rebels have landed the highest number of players in the Under-23 Group 2 Gladiators side with three players each making the final 18-man cut.

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Ghosts prolific left-edge duo of Dylan Collett and Mitch Gorman have been given the nod to line up on the Gladiators edge while teammate Matt Muller has been included on the bench.

A resurgent Austin Cooper, who put selectors on notice with his two-try haul against Woolgoolga before Easter, will start in the second row while Nic McGrady and Kieren Stewart have been included on an extended bench.

Penrith Panthers' most capped player Steve Carter took over the coaching reins of Group 2 in 2016. Picture: Bill North

After two training sessions with his 21-man squad, Gladiators coach and Penrith Panthers legend Steve Carter was forced to make the tough decision.

"It is never nice having to hand out the bad news that a bloke has been cut," he said. "But these guys are only young, they just need to head back to their club, improve, and come back better for it next season."

Coffs Harbour Comets are the only Group 2 club not represented in the 18-man team. Sawtell Panthers will also field three players in the side including young maestro Lachie Miller who will steer them from dummy-half.

While Carter admitted it has been tough to get the full side together for a proper training run so far, he is still confident ahead of the clash with Group 3 at Sawtell on Saturday (April 29).

"It has been a bit all over the place, but we will have a final training session (tonight) to do all the fine tuning," he said.

"I am confident with the players we have got that we will put in a real challenge. We just need to put a plan together to give players the opportunity to show the selectors what they've got.

"Hopefully these guys can get further selection and we can stack the East Coast team with Group 2 players."

Group 2 18-man squad to take on Group 3 at Rex Hardaker Oval, Sawtell on Saturday

1 Luke Beaumont (Bellingen)

2 Zac Johnson (Nambucca Heads)

3 Dylan Collett (Grafton Ghosts)

4 Shayde Perham (Orara)

5 Mitch Gorman (Grafton Ghosts)

6 Shane Holten (Bellingen)

7 Joel Collinson (Woolgoolga)

8 Jared Roberts (Orara)

9 Laclan Miller (Sawtell)

10 Usumanu Asalemo (Sawtell)

11 Bradley Southan (Macksville)

12 Austin Cooper (South Grafton)

13 Brad Collinson (Woolgoolga)

14 Nicholas McGrady (South Grafton)

15 Matt Muller (Grafton Ghosts)

16 Josh Cockbain (Macksville)

17 Jack Mander (Sawtell)

18 Kieren Stewart (South Grafton)

Coach: Steve Carter

Manager: Scott Mieni

Level 2 FAO: Greg Doolan

Trainer: Ron Miller, Dywane Lenender

Leaguesafe: Peter Lee, Greg Shuttleworth    

The Group 2 Gladiators in warm ups before their clash with the Group 3 representative side in 2016. Picture: Facebook

The following players have been selected for the Group 2 Women's League Tag team to play Group 3 on Saturday 29 April at Sawtell:

1 Sharon McGrady (Coffs Harbour)

2 Jakaya Hart (Coffs Harbour)

3 Dekiah Craigie (Coffs Harbour)

4 Jessica Moore (Coffs Harbour)

5 Makayla Hoskins (Coffs Harbour)

6 Lauren Dam (Sawtell)

7 Gretta Smith (Sawtell)

8 Kassey Reeves (Sawtell)

9 Hannah White (Sawtell)

10 Kyah Jones (South Grafton)

11 Sarah Beaumont (Bellingen)

12 Elyse Graham (Woolgoolga)

13 Kayla McIntosh (Woolgoolga)

14 Cassey Lynwood (Coffs Harbour)

15 Jade Egar (Woolgoolga)

Coach: Adam Wellington

Manager: Kristie Wellington

Level 2 FAO: Greg Doolan

Level 1 FAO: Judith Peen, Ron Miller

Leagusafe: Troy Robinson, Pete Lee

Originally published as Six Valley footballers make Gladiators final cut