IN 2015 St Pat’s hooker Benjamin John was named Group 10’s player of the year, but come this Saturday when the competition’s best square off with Group 11 in Gilgandra, he will not be in the number nine jumper.

John has been unable to overcome a knee injury which has hampered his season to date, so he was left out of Graeme Osborne’s 21-man Group 10 squad for the annual Western Rams trials.

It is a very different looking squad to the one named last year with John as well CYMS star Ben McAlpine, Lithgow mainstay Jono Van Veen, and Mudgee’s Jack Afamasaga not named for the trip to Gilgandra.

Instead Group 10 will unleash Blayney back rower Rakai-Manaia Tuheke in Gilgandra.

Tuheke scored a try in his first game for Blayney on Sunday, a 26-20 win over Bathurst Panthers, and is set to make his Group 10 debut after a barnstorming display on the Bears’ right edge.

He will be joined by former Queensland Country rugby union gun-come Mudgee Dragon Rota Setu as Osborne was forced to make a number of changes due to injury and other commitments.

“A few of the guys have family stuff on and that’s understandable,” Osborne said.

“I’ve also spoken to [Western coach] Darren Jackson and he’d like the guys who’ve been to training and the guys who’ve been in [Western] trials so far to get the chance to play.”

Pat’s duo Nathan Lawrence and Garry Reilly have been named in the 21-player squad, as have Bathurst Panthers’ Jeremy Gordon, Brent Seager, Blake Lawson and Jake Betts.

Both Bathurst native and now Orange CYMS star Simon Osborne plus Lithgow prop Chris Rhodes were suspended out of last year’s grand final brawl, but will take their places in the side headed to Gilgandra. Their suspensions ran out last weekend.

Meanwhile, Group 11 coach Col Wright has named a 17-players squad he believes can beat Group 10.

Wright, who has coached the Nyngan Tigers and a number of Western development teams in the past, received a late call-up to the role last week after Dennis Moran had to step aside due to family commitments.

“I think these blokes have got it,” he said. 

“Their coming off a win [last year] too, so hopefully my first senior representative game can end in a win.”

Dubbo CYMS recruit and former Cronulla Sharks flyer Isaac Gordon was the big name omission after he failed to attend Sunday’s training session.

Ilisoni Vonomateirtatu was another no show and did not gain selection, while Fishies powerhouse Billy Sing, Forbes enforcer Zac Merritt and the versatile Chris Daley from Macquarie all missed out too. 

Parkes’ Sam Dwyer again got the nod at fullback, while Kotoni Staggs and Brad Pickering will make their debuts on the wings outside of CYMS duo Jyie Chapman and Keiran Shipp.

The game kicks off at 1pm at Gilgandra’s McGrane Oval.

GROUP 10: Dane Howarth (Blayney), Josh Rainbow (Blayney), Rakai-Manaia Tuheke (Blayney), Ron Lawrence (Cowra), Jack Nobes (Cowra), Warren Williams (Cowra), Simon Osborne (CYMS), Ryan Griffin (CYMS), Jeremy Gordon (Bathurst Panthers), Brent Seager (Bathurst Panthers), Blake Lawson (Bathurst Panthers), Jake Betts (Bathurst Panthers), Rota Setu (Mudgee), Todd Munn (Mudgee), Hamish Bryant (Mudgee), Nathan Lawrence (St Pat’s), Garry Reilly (St Pat’s), Abel Lefaoseu (Oberon), Chris Rhodes (Workies), Brendan West (Workies), Kealan Bresac (Workies).

GROUP 11: Sam Dwyer (Parkes), Kotoni Staggs (Wellington), Jyie Chapman (CYMS), Keiran Shipp (CYMS), Brad Pickering (Nyngan), Jacob Neill (Nyngan), Colby Pellow (CYMS), Luke Thompson (Narromine), Reece Goldsmith (Nyngan), Jarryn Powyer (CYMS), 11 Ben McGuire (Forbes), Brendon Tago (Parkes), Jake Grace (Forbes), Colt Tairua (Westside), Jordon Pope (Parkes), Haydon Bolam (Forbes), 17 Ethan McKellar (Parkes).