A pair of Halls Head Junior Football Club stars on the rise will don black and gold jumpers after being selected as part of WA’s State Schoolboys Under 12s side to compete at a national carnival in Darwin this coming week.
Youngsters Hayze Griffiths and Reece Torrent were both chosen to play for WA after promising form for Halls Head this season.
The duo will be the only players outside of the Perth metropolitan area to play for WA, and will grace the turf at TIO Stadium, the same ground their AFL heroes run out on when they travel to Darwin.
Hayze plays in the year 7s at Halls Head, while Reece is a grade under in the year 6s.
The pair have been travelling to Perth for the last 11 weeks for training.
Hayze’s father Michael said the trip would be a huge boost for the boys’ footy.
“Everyone’s really excited for them. To make a state team is such an achievement and for the boys to be the only ones outside Perth is great,” he said.
“Usually they’re some of the best players in their side but now they get a chance to play kids who might be a little better than them, so it will open their eyes a bit.”
Hayze and Reece will be in Darwin for eight days, with their first game being played against Victoria.
They will follow the clash with matches against the Northern Territory and Tasmania, with the best sides making it through to finals.
Hayze attends Pinjarra Senior High School, while Reece is a student at Riverside Primary School.