THEY'VE shone in big moments for the Bathurst Panthers, they've impressed in Group 10 colours and as Western Rams, but both John Mackay and Jackson Carter will have a new representative experience this Saturday.
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The Panthers duo will represent the Group 10 under 18s for the first time and do it as leaders of the playing group.
Second rower Mackay will skipper the Group 10 side, while halfback Carter will act as his vice-captain.
Though Mackay previously captained Group 10 at under 15s level and has led junior Bathurst Panthers outfits, the 17-year-old knows this will be new challenge. It's one he's embracing.
"It's made me nervous, but I'm definitely keen on it, I'm excited," he said.
"Being captain I've got to talk the whole game, when you're blowing up it will be a bit hard. I'm a bit nervous, but it should be good.
"I think it's good having a vice-captain from the same team that I can gel with as well."
Like Mackay, Carter wore Group 10 colours all through his junior career. But the vice-captaincy job for Saturday still came as a surprise.
"I've played a fair few years of Group 10 through 12s, 13s, 14s ... but I've only had a leadership role for Panthers, just at club level," the 16-year-old said.
"I think it's pretty cool, I didn't expect it, but it's pretty good.
"I'm a bit nervous but I've played Group with a lot of them [team-mates] before and Rams with a few of them, so that is a very good help.
"I just want to go out there and have a bit of fun, and yeah, it would be nice to win. I think there will be a fair bit of pride in that jumper."
Familiar combinations is something that Mackay feels will be a strength of the Group 10 side.
It gives him confidence they can get the better of their Group 11 rivals, but he knows seizing momentum early will still be key.
"I reckon we've got a fair shot to get over the top of them. A lot of players who are in the team I've played with before, so I know they can handle the ball well," he said.
"I don't know much about them [Group 11], I've seen names but I don't know the whole team. We'll see what they're like on game day really.
"We'll just be looking to go out there and control the field before they can."
The last time Group 10 and Group 11 did battle in under 18s was in June, 2019. That afternoon in Forbes it was Group 11 who got the nod in a 28-10 result.
While COVID-19 forced the annual clash to be cancelled last year, Group 11 and Group 10 club sides did play in a Western Rams under 18s competition.
That the final of that competition was contested by two Group 11 clubs - Forbes and Dubbo CYMS - further fuels Group 10's desire to win this Saturday.
"Obviously I want to go out there and win, but also being with a different group of players, I want to see what we can do together. I want to see what plays we can do and what structure we have," Mackay said.
Kick-off at Tony Luchetti Sportsground is at 1.30pm on Saturday.
To attend the match, as well as the league tag and open fixtures, tickets must be purchased.
GROUP 10 UNDER 18s: 1 Riley Robinson (Orange Hawks), 2 Ryan Carroll (Cowra Magpies), 3 Charlie Jeffries (Cowra Magpies), 4 Jess Buchan (Orange CYMS), 5 Charlie Stoffers (Mudgee Dragons), 6 Nick Murphy (Orange CYMS), 7 Jackson Carter (Bathurst Panthers), 8 Manny Tobin (St Pat's), 9 Callum Johnson (Orange CYMS), 10 Jackson Gersbach (Orange Hawks), 11 John Mackay (Bathurst Panthers), 12 Kaden Williams (Orange CYMS), 13 Tom Negus (Cowra Magpies). Reserves: 14 Donny Peters (Lithgow Workies), 15 Kade Cotter (Orange Hawks), 16 Kaeden Dickson (Orange CYMS), 17 Noa Fraser, 18 Jack White (Orange CYMS).
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