Pilbara players selected as North West Reds begin final preparations for the Junior State Championships

A slew of emerging rugby league players from the Pilbara have been selected to join the North West Reds under 15 and under 13 teams at this year’s Junior State Championships. The players from Karratha, South Hedland, Newman and Tom Price joined other selected teens from Broome and Kununurra at a training camp held in Dampier on March 11-13. NW Reds coach Kyle Watkins said the players were chosen after a rigorous training and selection process. “We have what we call gala days or North West Red champs so each region - Karratha, Tom Price, Newman, Port Hedland, have a gala day and us coaches will go to them and select players to come to camp one,” he said. From there the top players are picked over a series of camps until the final squad of 39 players, across two age categories, is picked. He said the youngsters trained all-year round just to play the three state championship games. “This is our second to last camp before the trip,” he said. “We come together for about 36 hours and then we send them on the way home again. “ He said the side would meet in Broome in April for the final camp before heading to Perth for the championships. Watkins said training players from across a region as vast as the North West had its difficulties. Watkins said because of distance, cost and schooling some players were unable to make it to every camp. “We’ll meet each other when we get to Perth, which is fine. The concept of the game is still the same. It’s just about trying to get some combination,” he said. He said despite the challenges the children loved the game. “They just keep putting in, so we’ve just have to keep turning up,” he said. Watkins said the competition provided opportunities for kids living in regional areas to make it to the state side. “Last year three of our under 15’s actually made the state side and four of our under 13’s made the state side,” he said. “We may not go down there, win every game and set the house on fire so to speak. There’s still opportunities for kids that live in regional areas to to be the next rugby star,” he said. “If that candle still burns for them, they’re still going to put in because there’s an opportunity.”