A group of talented young locals have been selected to represent the Under-17s WA Maori Rugby League team that is set to tour New Zealand in June.
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Teams from across Australia and New Zealand participate in the NZ Maori Rugby League tournament held every year in Rotorua, which is in the Bay of Plenty region of the country's North Island.
Selection in the tournament for this particular group of players is even sweeter given they all missed out on junior state representative opportunities because of the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdowns and restrictions.
Team manager Isaac Leef said this tour was put together to create a reward for a chosen few for all their hard work and participation in the NRLWA Junior competition throughout their fledgling careers.
Rockingham Sharks premier coach Richard Sobels will be teaming up with Mandurah Pirates premier coaching staff, including Ray Reti, Lennie Henry and Leef, to lead the team of 24 boys around the paddock in the lead up to the 2023 Rangatahi Tournament.
Coach Sobels said the group had worked hard to earn their opportunities and he was looking forward to leading them in their first representative appearance in the game.
"The majority of our boys have been dedicated to the game most of their junior playing lives and really deserve this opportunity to play and witness Maori Rugby League in their homeland of Aotearoa," he said.
Leef said it would be a great experience but preparing the players for the cold weather proved a challenge.
