FORMER St Pat's junior star Myles Martin can count himself among the best under 15s rugby league players in the nation after being named in the Australian merit team.
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The lock earned his selection in the side following a man-of-the-match performance for NSW Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) in their Australian National School Boys Carnival grand final win.
Martin, 15, who played for the Parramatta Eels in this year's Harold Matthews competition, was unstoppable in NSW CCC's 14-6 victory over their NSW Combined Independent Schools (CIS) rivals at Redcliffe.
Martin said the final was an amazing experience considering how hard CIS put his team on the back foot.
"I was really proud to achieve that. A lot of effort went in to do that," he said.
"The first half was really tough but then we came out really hard in the second half to come back and get the win. It was a fast game and we were down 6-0 at half-time."
The CCC boys had already toiled hard just to reach the final.
They claimed a 22-18 win over Combined High Schools (CHS) in the semi-final.
Martin has been turning heads ever since he began playing league at the age of four.
He helped his Pat's junior side to five premierships and has gained representative stints with Group 10, Western Rams.
Prior to his CCC selection Martin first had to book his place in the Metro Catholic School squad, which he did during the trials held in May at St Mary's.
The first half was really tough but then we came out really hard in the second half to come back and get the win.
- Myles Martin
His breakthrough moment came with his Parramatta Eels selection.
The place in the Harold Matthews squad required him to travel into Sydney twice a week for training but the experience has been invaluable for the Martin.
It was a tough season for the Eels who narrowly missed a place inside the top eight but Martin took a lot away from the experience against quality opposition.
"It was great doing Harold Matts, Andrew Johns, MCS and CCC. They we're all really good for me," Martin said.
"We didn't make finals in Harold Matts this year but we ended up coming third in the Andrew Johns Cup.
"Now it's back to club footy and getting ready for more Harold Matts next year."
Martin and his family recently moved to Sydney a few months ago to help his career advance.
The former Pat's junior will continue to ply his trade at school level for Patrician Brothers Blacktown and with Hills Bulls at club level.