Following the final trials last weekend the selectors from each of the five Junior Stingray teams sat down to the difficult task of naming the final 23 players and 7 seven shadows.
While the trials were only the final component of the selection process, with considerable time spent by selectors viewing club and school games, some with skills sessions, and discussions with club coaches, these last trials in the words of many coaches, “threw up more questions than answers”. The final games were extremely competitive, with an array of talent and showed a considerable amount of intensity.
The U17s surprised Toowoomba Grammar in the first half and were leading 7-5 at half time, before TGS turned on their forwards game in the second half to overcome a tiring Stingray squad 26-7. This was the squads second game in a few days, not including a club game, after they defeated Nudgee Colleges 2nd XV on Wednesday, 3 tries to nil. The U16 Stingrays competed well against a strong Southport School 16A on Sunday after narrowly going down (0-5) to Nudgee’s 16A last Wednesday night at Caloundra.
Some of the independent selectors who have had extensive experience selecting representative teams over many years, said it was wonderful to see the amount of talent on show and all age groups should be looking to taking away a competitive squad, with a number of good players likely to miss out.
With a couple of the selection teams still reviewing video footage, all the final teams will be announced tomorrow.
