Aberdeen – Northern Tiger Territory This Weekend

By Geoff Newling

GREATER Northern Tigers can give themselves a “high five” on Saturday.

The local division – a combination of the Group 4, 19 and 21 – competitions – plays five matches at Aberdeen’s McKinnon Field on Saturday.

Kicking off the huge day is a trial game between the Greater Northern Tiger “Pups to Bulldogs” Under 15 squad and the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Development Squad.

Around 26 players teenagers from Group 4, 19 and 21 will try out in Tiger colours against the Bulldogs Development Squad from 9.45am.

They are a curtain raiser to the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup Under 16 and 18 Country Championship matches between the Tigers and Parramatta Eels while the Tiger Ladies Tackle and Under 23 men sides play second round Country Championship matches against Greater Western Sydney sides in the afternoon.

“It’s a huge day for Greater Northern Tigers,” said Greater Northern Tigers Pathways Manager Peter Stevens.

“A real big day for us. We’ve got the Under 15’s trialling followed by the representative matches.”

While the Under 16 Tigers cannot make the Andrew Johns Cup semi finals the Under 18 Tigers can and match up against the Parramatta Eels at 12.20pm.

The Tiger women are also alive in their Country Championship and match up with GWS from 1.45pm in a crucial encounter following their big win over the Titans in Lismore last Saturday.

Coach Mick Schmiedel has made just one change to his side with Murrurundi’s Brooke Davis returning to the backrow.

Peter Stevens hopes the Tiger contenders can continue their winning run and claim a semi final berth while the Under 15’s are beginning their journey towards a Tiger Under 16 spot in next season’s Andrew Johns Cup.

“We selected three squads (one each from Groups 4, 19 and 21) after the Under 14 Country Championships last year,” Stevens said.

“They will have a good hit out on Saturday against the Bulldogs then go back to their local clubs and play the rest of the season.

“Hopefully they all play in the Under 15 Country Championships later in the season

“Then we will trial again at the end of the year (October or November). So this will be another good test for all of them on Saturday and make it a huge day for us. Just to have all our representative sides playing on the one day is huge for us.”

GREATER NORTHERN TIGERS

Playing at McKinnon Oval, Jefferson Park, 34 Macqueen Street, Aberdeen on Saturday:

9:45am: GNT PUPS TO BULLDOGS UNDER 15 SQUAD: GROUP 4: Riley Givney, Charlie Henderson, Seb Lawler, Robert Lay, John O’Leary, Reace Mclean, Jaycob Price, Matt Ross, Brock Russell, Logan Spinks, Jaice Tiberi-Porter, Bailey Willis. GROUP 19: Brooklyn Boney, Troy Carter, Max Collins, Kaleb Hope, Zac O’Grady, Austin Schneider, Luke Steward, Dacey Wood. Group 21: Rylan Barndon, Tyler Baldwin, Bryce Bateman, Jacob Cortina, Callum Dowell, Talon Harrington, Riley Pennell, Brady Roser, Aajay Watts, Tully Wholert.

Teams playing against the Parramatta Eels

11am: GNT UNDER 16s: 1 Malik Hunt (Aberdeen), 2 Lewis Hippi (North Tamworth), 3 Joash Boney (North Tamworth), 4 Hunter Marsh (Denman), 5 Matthew Jones (Aberdeen), 6 Kurt Fisher (Gunnedah), 7 Jermaine Craigie (Moree), 8 Thomas Donehue (Singleton), 9 Junuh Warden (Scone), 10 Jake Clydsdale (Scone), 11 Billy Youman (Guyra), 12 Ben Jones (Aberdeen), 13 Malakai Griffiths (Glen Innes), 14 Aidan Bermingham (Farrer), 15 Gus Smith (Narrabri), 16 Maxwell Smith (Farrer), 17 Daniel McMillan (Narrabri), 18 Corben Hampstead (Singleton). Coach – Steve Haylen (Muswellbrook), assistant coach – Brad McManus (North Tamworth).

12:20pm: GNT UNDER 18’s: 1 Brayden Reid (Kootingal), 2 Mac Shepherdson (Denman), 3 Jacob Sukanaivalu (Singleton), 4 Luke Smith (Denman), 5 Blair Maloney (Farrer), 6 Mitch Henderson (Kootingal), 7 Pichai Dixon (Aberdeen), 8 Kalab McMillan-Bassett (Narrabri), 9 Liam Ball (North Tamworth), 10 Jack Todd (Dungowan), 11 Dan Kelly (North Tamworth), 12 Jackson Shade (Singleton), 13 Kobe Bone (North Tamworth), 14 Blake Ginman (Dungowan), 15 Toby Taggart (Kootingal), 16 Hugh Collins (Aberdeen), 17 Mark Simon (Dungowan), 18 Seb Pianko (North Tamworth), 19 Harrison Freeman (Dungowan). Coach – Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (North Tamworth), assistant coach – Richard Ingram (North Tamworth).

1:45pm: GNT LADIES: 1 Hannah Rando (Murrurundi), 2 Lucy Prudden (Murrurundi), 3 Shae Pemberton, 4 Shai Blackadder (Merriwa), 5 Tanika Darcy (Werris Creek), 6 Amy Barraclough (Glen Innes), 7 Lenikki Craigie (Glen Innes), 8 Gaynor Blackadder vc (Merriwa), 9 Sarah Stewart (Gunnedah), 10 Amelia Tunamena (Glen Innes), 11 Brooke Davis (Murrurundi), 12 Lauren Clarke (Glen Innes), 13 Kate Brown (Murrurundi), 14 Caitlin Aubrey (Aberdeen), 15 Antoinette Wenner (Narrabri), 16 Joan O’Leary (South West Robins), 17 Jayne Bevitt (Manilla), 18 Jess Baker (Werris Creek). Coach: Mick Schmiedel (Tamworth), manageress Adelaide Monica (Tamworth), Trainers: Kate McCulloch (Armidale), Kim Bevistock (Aberdeen), Tash Allen (Kootingal).

3pm: GNT UNDER 23’s: 1 Steve McGrady (Tingha), 2 Brennan Cosgrove (Bingara), 3 Hamish Wolfgang (Aberdeen), 4 Kieran Williams (Werris Creek), 5 Isaah Millgate (Werris Creek), 6 Bailey Taylor vc (Muswellbrook), 7 Scott Berry (Dungowan), 8 Isaac Austin capt (Scone), 9 Ryan Ingram (North Tamworth), 10 Lincon Smith (Gunnedah), 11 Tyler LePrince-Campbell (Aberdeen), 12 Mitch Taylor (Aberdeen), 13 Jack Patterson (North Tamworth), 14 Ryan Hawkshaw (Scone), 15 Mitchell Sheridan (North Tamworth), 16 Bailey Cosgrove (Bingara), 17 Fraser Evans (Denman), 18 Isaac Harris (Gunnedah), 19 Wade McKenzie (Muswellbrook). Coach: Aaron Watts (Scone), Manager: Kevin Watts (Scone).