17 year-old Rodwell, who plays for the Bathurst Panthers under 18 side, was named in the squad last weekend, after attending the squad trials in Dubbo.

“I’m pretty stoked,” the laid-back second rower said, after he was announced as part of the 44-strong squad.

“Anyone can try out – we had guys there from group 10, group 11, group 14 – all over the place,” he said.

“There was about 140 or so I think.”

The squad will train and play together throughout 2008, and consists of under 17s and under 18s players.

The selection was the culmination of a good season for Rodwell, who starred for Panthers in a successful season.

His side made the semis before being knocked out, while the strong Cowra Magpies side eventually took out the premiership.

His great year playing at the back of the scrum was topped off by taking out both the Player’s Player award and the Best and Fairest trophy for his side, but this had little to do with his selection in the Academy list.

“I saw an article in the Western Advocate a few weeks ago, and rang Wade Judd about the try-outs, and headed to Dubbo,” he explained.

“We found out about the final squad on the day – it was about 33 degrees and a bit too hot for my liking,” he said with a laugh.

Rodwell and his fellow squad members go into camp for a training session this weekend in Dubbo, but the Oberon lad is not sure where things are headed after that.

“I think we play against a few of the Sydney teams and maybe a team from Newcastle, possibly as curtain-raisers for a few of the NRL teams next year, though I’m not sure,” he said.

“We will find out a few more details this weekend.”

While not sure if a career playing league full time is on the horizon, some of the names to have come from the Bathurst club in recent years, including current Manly prop George Rose is encouraging.

“I’ll just see how I go – I’ll keep plugging away with Panthers for the moment,” he said.

“They are a very good club, and have produced a lot of good players over the years.”

Rodwell has been with the club for the last three years, in the absence of an under 18s team in Oberon, however he played much of his earlier football in the town.