THOUGH they fell short of a win in the NSW under 18s Country Championships, the Western Rams have had four players included in the NSW Country team to take on the Queensland under 18s on July 10.
Bathurst Panthers centre Andrew Mendes will join St Pat's three-quarter, Oberon’s Kirk Roberts, in the Country line-up on the back of a strong display for the Rams which led the Western side to the semi-finals last month.
The duo will play alongside fellow Western pair Matt Langby and Jordan Hay, both from Dubbo.
Graeme Osborne, who coached the Rams during their campaign said it was a proud feeling to see his charges take the next step in their representative careers.
"Getting anybody into a Country team gives you a pretty warm feeling and a bit of pride," he said.
"Short of actually coaching a team to a win in the Country titles, ... the next-best thing that can happen is to see your players making a team like that."
Osborne said that while he hadn't had a lot to do with Roberts – who has been selected on the wing but also plays regularly in the centres – his development is a testament to the raw quality of league talent in his native Oberon.
"It is a big reflection on the sport in Oberon, he headed to St Pat's after the Oberon 18s folded and he's already made a good impact there," Osborne said.
"He represented Group 10 in under 16s so he has had a taste of rep footy before this season, and ... he will go well."
For centre Mendes, it continues his rise in the sport that has seen him make virtually every regional and divisional side possible in recent years.
Osborne says that he too has the tools to make an impact for Country.
"Andrew is a good talker, a good communicator and he certainly has a lot of natural speed. Importantly too, he is a very good goal-kicker – I think he only missed one or two goals in the first two rounds of the championships," Osborne said.
"He is only a slightly built sort of bloke but he has big powerful legs too which helps him."
Naturally for players getting this sort of opportunity to play at such a level in the under 18s age group, the next question is how they will perform when they get the chance, and how far they can go within the sport.
The Western coach can see bright things ahead for Roberts and Mendes.
"It is up to them personally how far they go,” he said.
“I don't know where they are up to with regards to interest from NRL clubs or anything like that but I can definitely see them acquitting themselves well against Queensland.
"I could also see them certainly holding their own in the Toyota Cup under 20s competition, and I think there would a be a fair few clubs who could fit them in their SG Ball [under 18s] sides.
“They would be able to compete at that level I'm sure."
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