THE best and brightest junior rugby league players for Cronulla and St George take centre stage when the junior representative season kicks off on Saturday.
The under-18 SG Ball and the under-16 Harold Matthews competitions start this weekend with both clubs hosting home games.
At the Dragons, retired premiership winning halfback Ben Hornby will coach his first competition game of his career when he takes charge of St George's U18 side.
His game will follow the U16s coached again by former St George player Graham Wynn.
For the Sharks, successful Endeavour Sports High School coach Dave Howlett will once again lead Cronulla's U18 team, while former Parramatta and Western Suburbs first grade player Darren Capovilla will enter the junior representative coaching fray for the first time, after two seasons as assistant to Cronulla's U20s coach James Shepherd.
The nine-round season will not see a local derby clash.
St George host Balmain at WIN Jubilee Oval from 9am and Cronulla takes on South Sydney from 9.30am at Toyota Stadium on Saturday. Hornby will face former teammate Mat Head, who takes charge of Balmain's U18.
HAROLD MATTHEWS
■ Cronulla: 1 Cameron Scott, 2 Carter Quinn, 3 Jared Ross, 4 Lachlan Hughes, 5 Jackson Garrett, 6 Kamren Cryer, 7 Jack Williams, 8 Daniel Vasquez, 9 Shamus O'Connor, 10 Brock Ilett, 11 Jordan Collins, 12 Liam Crean, 13 Raymond Reyes. Interchange: 14 Blayke Brailey, 15 Billy Magoulias, 16 Dylan Xerri, 17 Dean Tatsis, 18 Aperaamo Lualua, 19 Jake Piggott, 20 Tom Aquilina, 21 Curtis Scott, 22 Evander Filemu, 23 Bailey Pengelly, 24 Kyle Flanagan, 25 Lucas Burnes, 26 Jye Challenor.
■ St George: 1 Ben Cassell, 2 Bailey Lang, 3 Abdallah Issa, 4 Brandon Boumelhem, 5 Micah Scott-Vari, 6 Danny Hannah, 7 Joe Lovodua, 8 Jake Wedesweiler, 9 Treymaine Brown, 10 Tristan Green, 11 Ryan McCauley, 12 Delane Cherrington, 13 Thomas Tsiamis. Interchange: 14 Brad Daley, 15 Hussein Kansour, 16 Tama Papua, 17 Isaac Pedro, 18 Daniel Stojanovskim 19 Gerald Reyes, 20 Sam Matenga, 21 Greg Ioannou.
SG BALL
■ Cronulla: 1 David Green, 2 Levi Sopi, 3 Valentine Holmes, 4 Anthony Moraitis, 5 Leigh Higgins, 6 Jaden Clarke, 7 Jamayne Isaako, 8 Alec Susino, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Pita Dillen, 11 Jayden Walker, 12 Patrick Hasson, 13 Harry Vanderhart. Interhcnage: 14 James Budd, 15 Tom Johnston, 16 Ashleigh Nisbet, 17 Callum Grant, 18 Rhys Schreuder, 20 Ben Tatupu, 21 Semisi Vea.
■ St George:1 Izaac Thompson, 2 Rowland Kotobalavu, 3 Topiese Taufa, 4 Abbas Miski, 5 Taniela Siale, 6 Rhys Davies, 7 Mange Kopa, 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Jake Vrahnos, 10 Kelepi Lovodua, 11 Luciano Leilua, 12 Heheako Tuima, 13 Siaopo Tagaloa. Interchange: 14 Matt Dufty, 15 Netane Vi, 16 Gus Fidow, 18 Jacob Host, 19 Hame Sele.
