A GROUP 10 under 13s side including a number of Bathurst has returned from its trip to New Zealand talents after mixed success on the field, but undoubtedly a rich experience overall.

The concept of the trip was to try and give the side some extra experience ahead of next year’s Country Championships against sides who play a different style of football.

Group 10 posted a win, a loss and a draw from their three games, playing largely against opponents boasting a lot more size, with two Bathurst players in Panthers’ Noah Griffiths and St Pat’s Charlie Ayoub picking up awards from the tour.

Beginning against a combined Te Atatu Roosters-Glenora Greyhounds side made up of 13 and 14-year-olds, the Group 10 team got off to a flyer with Griffiths crossing for two tries.

Ayoub also got into the scorebook and after the first third of the match, Group 10 led 22-8.

The Roosters changed things up in the next third and injected a number of their 14s players. As a result there were some big hits being dealt out by the hosts.

Though Griffiths crossed for his third try, Group 10’s lead was cut down to just 28-26 going into the last third.

The Roosters’ extra size was able to help them get on top at the back end of the match as they ran away with the win.

Three of their opponents from that match were Junior Warriors players and six were North Auckland representatives, making the defeat a little easier to swallow.

Griffiths, Ayoub, Pat’s player Josh Hanrahan, Lachie Gibbs and Liam Kennedy were all strong in that performance.

In their next match they took on the Bay of Plenty under 13s representative side in Rotorua. They conceded an early try to the hosts, but some hard running from Saints players Ash Cosgrove and Jayden Fisher helped spark a Group 10 revival.

Josh Dominello (Oberon) and Lachie Large (Lithgow) were also among the instigators as the visitors fought their way into the match.

By game’s end, Group 10 had done enough to earn an 18-10 win, with Saints players Ben Matthews and Blake Martin earning plenty of praise for their performances.

In their final match the tourists faced the Port Chevalier Pirates, and came up against an aggressive opponent not shy of some niggle.

It took Group 10 by surprise and they were in some bother when trailing 10-0 early in the game. But some words from the coaching staff seemed to have the desired effect and they hit back in the second third.

Wingers Luke Brown (Lithgow) and Robbie Walsh (Oberon) were strong in the face of some big opposition and high kicks, while Hayden Mullins (Cowra) and Nick Adams (St Pat’s) in the centres also had their bright moments.

The score blew out to 16-0 at one stage, but was brought back to 16-4 with a try to Brown.

In the final term Group 10 mixed gutsy defence with clever attack, and Griffiths helped them to two unanswered tries in the last 10 minutes.

A pressure kick from Bloomfield fullback Addison Williams 10 metres in from touch helped seal a draw with the Pirates.

The tour concluded with the announcement that Griffiths had been named players’ player for the backs, and Ayoub from the forwards.