Rowdi Saunders from Glen William and Luke Walters from Martins Creek both play with the Maitland Blacks’ side and tried out for the train-on squad in November last year.

Luke has been playing union with the Blacks for three years but Rowdi is a relative newcomer, with only last year’s season under his belt.

“Circumstances didn’t allow me to play league last year and I knew Luke and a few others who played with the Blacks, so decided to give it a go,” Rowdi said.

After playing league for the past three years, Rowdi is enjoying his new sport and was “stoked” to have made the side.

More than 150 players from around the Hunter Valley, the North Coast, Nelson Bay and Central Coast areas tried out for the team.

Numbers were cut down to a training squad of 40 with the boys training twice a week for two months.

Just prior to Christmas the final squad of 25 was named.

A change from soccer to union has also paid dividends for Luke and he along with Rowdi will go onto play teams from the North Coast, Sydney and South Australia.

From the Gold Cup a NSW team will be selected.

Both boys are keeping up their fitness with Rowdi swimming under the guidance of Peter Maytom and running with a local group while Luke is also pounding the pavement.