Despite just returning from a tour of New Zealand, Orange’s Daniel Mortimer hasn’t finished his Australian representative duties this year. But he must also find time to complete his higher school certificate.

Story & Photo By : MICHELLE COOK

Mortimer played in the Australian side’s 40-20 and 24-12 wins over the New Zealand under 18s last week with their second victory being played out on Saturday.

The James Sheahan student is already back at home studying for his higher school certificate but days after he finishes his exams he’ll represent the Australian Institute of Sport in a tour of England and France.

The year 12 student said he cannot wait to wear the green and gold again.

“It was an unbelievable trip,” Mortimer said of touring New Zealand.

“We were the first Australian Schoolboys side to go to New Zealand and be undefeated. It was a solid team and we all got along really well.”

Mortimer played the first game at full-back for Australia and achieved his goal of scoring a try. His team-mate decided to run the ball on the last tackle and put through a grubber kick which Mortimer dived on to score.

The teenager said there was a big build up for the second game as traditionally Australia seemed to win the first game but lose the second.

Mortimer came on after 15 minutes at five-eight and played the rest of the game to help the Aussies to their 24-12 win. The games were a highlight for Mortimer but there were other moments which also stood out.

“Opposing the haka was unreal,” Mortimer said.

“They were about a metre from us before the second game and just screaming at us. That really psyched us up.”

Four days after Mortimer finishes his HSC exams he will fly out to tour with the AIS squad in England and France.

This is the second consecutive year Mortimer has participated in the tour and he is looking forward to spending more time on the football fields overseas.

TWO more Orange boys tasted success in New Zealand on Saturday with Scott Rosser and Marc Slingsby helping the NSW Country under 16s to a 34-24 win over the Taranaki Region.

The victory comes after the side prepared on the NSW Central Coast with a trial match against the Queensland Academy of Sport Development Squad last week.

After a close call against Fiji last Friday, the Junior Roos were belted around Teifaiva Stadium in Nakualofa yesterday, conceding nine tries in a 44-8 flogging.

Jim Dymock's Tonga line-up included NRL stars Feleti Mateo, Manase Manuokafoa, Fetuli Talanoa, Tevita Metuisela, Richard Fa'aoso and the Paea brothers, Lelea, Lopini and Mickey.

An emotional Paea posed for photos with his brothers and relatives in the middle of the field at fulltime, saying: "I dont know if I'll be playing NRL next year. I'm looking to play rugby union.

"It could be (our last game). Hopefully my rugby union club will let me come back and play in the World Cup with them.

"It's special playing with your brothers. I grew up playing junior footy with them. This year I went up to the Gold Coast and split with them for the first time."

Lopini was also amongst the scorers in front of a 2500 crowd as Tonga raced to a 28-0 lead at the break.

Australia coach Matt Cameron said the game had been a good hit-out for Tonga's World Cup campaign for next year, but suggested Tonga coach Jim Dymock should have given more local players a run.

"It probably would have been nice to see some of the local players play in this game, in the same way Fiji put their local players in."

But Dymock said the ganme was a good chance for Tongan locals to see their NRL stars in person.

"We've got a game against Fiji coming up so we had a bit of pressure to perform," he said.

The game was also colourful off the pitch.

Both sides were introduced to Tongan princess Lupepauu Fusitua before kick-off, the first half went for 37 minutes because no-one knew how long it should have been and Australian Tim Mannah suffered a serious head cut from coral scattered around the pitch.

Albert Hopoate, brother of John, played his first game in two years after spending time as a Mormon missionary. He is contracted to Sydney Roosters next season.

And it was the first game on Tongan soil for Parramatta star Feleti Mateo, who spent two years as a child in Nakualofa.

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UNSTOPPABLE ... members of the triumphant Centrals under-17 team

Story & Photo By : ADAM WATKIN

Some teams barely scrape together enough wins and are prime contenders for wooden spoons.

Others are lucky enough to make deciders but by the fulltime whistle their heads bow in their hands.

For many people sport is only a game but for the Centrals under-17s team – rugby league has played a major part in their life.

The team is a committed outfit and they can back it up with five premierships from five consecutive seasons.

Their impressive record also stands at three losses from only three seasons – a feat any team would be proud of.

"I've just trained them like an A-grade side and they have responded by becoming a tremendous team," Centrals coach Tony Martin said.

The Centrals mentor has been in charge of the team for the past three seasons and recently inspired them to their fifth consecutive grand final win over Brothers 26-20.

Martin, who has coached A grade teams from Darwin to southeast Queensland, said there was just something `special' about his crop of Centrals juniors.

The team beams with natural talent and has eight players signed to NRL clubs.

Chris Eade (Wests Tigers), Simeon Fuller (Wests Tigers), Ray Thompson (Cowboys), Ben Henaway (Cowboys), Jared Huston (Cowboys), TJ Faagutu (Newcastle) and Troy Paget (Gold Coast) have all been rewarded with contracts while Jordan Bein and Liam Kersevani will head to Queensland Cup team Wynnum Manly next year.

"When I first had them we only had three players signed to the Cowboys in the under-15s and now there are more and it has been great to watch the whole team develop," Martin said. "And I mean the whole idea about coaching is to develop the best out of the players."

Martin said he had gained a lot of pleasure from watching players develop including lock Royce Wicherts.

"He was a bench player when I first started coaching the team and now he has ended up with the best and fairest award for this year," he said.

The team prides itself on its preparation and training which has included anything from aerobics to jogs up Castle Hill.

"We really put a lot of variation into training and they have come out fitter, stronger and their skill level is quite good," Martin said.

Following their remarkable strike rate over the past three seasons, Martin said his hardest task had been to keep the team focused.

"It was very hard to build intensity for every game so before each match I had to give them little goals to reach."