Orange touch football players selected for NSW teams

The National Championships are being held in Darwin on August 14-18.

Tessa Hill, Clancy Simmons and Mackenzie Thornberry-Ruddy were all named in the NSW under 12 team after strong showings at a carnival in May.

Hill and Thornberry-Ruddy represented Western (public schools) while Simmons played for Polding (Catholic schools) with the teams finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

In the Under 15's age group, Lucy Martin earned a NSW jumper due to her performance for Combined Independent Schools, Sam Hill and Ravai Tuvelu represented Combined High Schools and Taj Jordon played for Combined Catholic Schools.

Hill and Jordan were named in the NSW 1 team and Tuvelu in the NSW 2 side. Hill was also named the Combined High Schools MVP for the carnival in June.

Thornberry-Ruddy warned her teammates they would face some tough conditions while all three Under 12s agreed that Queensland would pose the biggest threat.

"I went up there in December and when it rains it really rains," she said.

"Queensland is very good, last year NSW came second so they are probably our biggest challenge."

"It will probably be the toughest conditions we'll have ever played in," Simmons added.

The selections continue a trend of West-South West Suns players earning representative honours in state sides.

All seven players also turn out for Orange Thunder with coach Wayne Hill impressed with the quick progression of both participation and skill levels.

"The juniors that are coming through at the moment here in Orange are very impressive both for boys and girls," he said.

"It's a massive achievement for Orange Thunder and the players.

"Orange is really starting to gain traction at this level."

Jordan said he was looking forward to testing himself in the humid conditions alongside his fellow link Hill.

"I've probably played some sort of footy since I was about three, I've always been around it," he said.

"Touch is obviously a bit different but the skills are pretty much the same."

The Orange contingent in the under 12 team is made up of two positions, middles (Simmons and Hill) and link (Thornberry-Ruddy).

Simmons said herself and Hill would be in charge of playmaking up in Darwin.

"The middles are in control and the links do most of the running," Simmons said.

"There are some moves the middles can do but most of them are for the links.

"The links definitely score off the moves the most," Hill said.

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