Hours of training and skill perfection have paid off for two young Scone rugby league players.
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Jock Madden and Tom Eveleigh are no newcomers to press coverage as the fine young rugby league players have represented the Scone Thoroughbreds and Hunter Valley Group 21 in state wide competitions in the past, however the two 15-year-olds have new achievements to be proud of.
The St Joseph’s Aberdeen year 9 students have been selected in state teams to progress their football careers further, after representing their school at the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese level and then in the Northern Country team which played at Smithtown in April.
Madden was then selected from the Northern Country team to play at the NSW Combined Catholic Schools Carnival at St Marys Stadium last weekend.
It was throughout that carnival that the speedy half back impressed selectors and was chosen to play in the NSW Combined Catholic 15 years Rugby League Squad to compete at the Australian Schoolboys Championships at St Marys Stadium next month.
He was selected from players representing six metropolitan catholic schools, metropolitan catholic colleges and independent catholic school groups.
Madden will join his teammates, some of the top catholic schoolboy players in NSW, this weekend for a trial game against Western Sydney Academy before a few weeks of training leading up to the week-long championships.
During the championships, the NSW team will play against teams from all other states of Australia and NSW state schools, and the ultimate goal is to be selected in the 2015 Australian Schoolboys Merit Team – a massive honour.
Madden said he was really pleased to be selected in the NSW team as he had worked hard and tried his best to achieve the goal.
From the Northern Country team, Eveleigh was selected in an additional NSW Country Team to play in a tour at St Gregory’s College in July.
The second row player said he is really excited to have the opportunity to tour a few different Sydney clubs and play a few games against different Sydney based school teams.
Madden’s dad, David, who was a talented player himself and coaches the boys in their Group 21 representative duties, said both selections were big achievements for the boys.
“They work hard, train hard and they are good kids, so they deserve the rewards they are achieving.
“These selections are a great stepping stone for their futures as a lot of NRL players have gone on from this point, including Brad Fitler and Adam Clydsdale.”
Both Madden and Eveleigh are also currently playing in the Newcastle Knights Chargers team.