The 11 new Illawarriors out to secure NSW Country Championship success

Though coach Sean Barrett has also enlisted 11 new faces to the Illawarra men's rugby representative team which has finished in third-spot at the Country Championships two-years running.

Barrett is hopeful the mixture of experience and youth in this year's squad will see the Illawarriors go at least one step better and play-off for an elusive title win.

Just four players from the undefeated back-to-back Illawarra District Rugby Union premiers Shoalhaven feature in the 25-man Illawarriors squad.

Shoals captain George Miller will also fulfill the same role for the Illawarriors, with Eli Sinoti from Tech-Waratahs his deputy.

The high-flying Kiama Cows have the most players in the squad, with nine of their players to represent the Illawarriors at Scully Park in Tamworth on June 8-9.

Three of these Kiama players, Darius Mafelio, Dante Patrick and Mick Taylor will make their debuts for the Illawarriors.

The other new faces to the rep side are Angus Clark (Shoalhaven), Shamrocks trio Alex Crotti, Bailie Leonard and Ryan Schoupp, Camden players Tom Cusack and Luke Platt as well as Campbelltown duo Zac Tuala and Peni Tuitupou.

Barrett said it was good the squad reflected success enjoyed by Shoalhaven in recent years, as well as those teams doing well in 2024.

"We've got a pretty good representation from Kiama, Shoalhaven, Camden, Shamrocks and three guys from Campbelttown. These teams occupy the top five at the moment," he said.

"We also have quite a few players making their debuts for us including two impressive young players from Camden in Tom Cusack and Luke Platt.

"We have some good young players that are probably going to be the core group of the squad moving forward over the next five or six years.

"Importantly we've got a really good tight group of forwards, some experience with George Miller being the captain and Eli Sinoti as vice captain in the backs.

"We're looking forward to hopefully doing better than we have in the last couple of years."

Illawarriors kick off their Country Championship campaign with a clash against Hunter on Saturday at 9.50am before playing Central West at 5.10pm on the same day.

Illawarriors seniors squad:

George Miller Cpt (Shoal)

Tom Baker (Uni)

Jeromy Cairnes (Kiama)

Angus Clark (Shoal)

Nico Cowley (Kiama)

Alex Crotti (Sham)

Tom Cusack (Camd)

Terry Fanaloa (Camd)

Jett Fraser (Shoal)

Harri Hibbs (Shoal)

Jack Hobbs (Kiama)

Norwin Latu (Campb)

Tim Lilomaivia (Campb)

Bailie Leonard (Sham)

Simiki Lufe (Kiama)

Darius Mafelio (Kiama)

Dante Patrick (Kiama)

Luke Platt (Camd)

Frank Prodger (Kiama)

Ryan Schoupp (Sham)

Eli Sinoti (Tech)

Mick Taylor (Kiama)

Reuben Thomas (Kiama)

Zac Tuala (Campb)

Peni Tuitupou (Campb)

Coaches: Sean Barrett and Steve Talbot.

Illawarriors Colts and Women's:

Illawarra will also be represented this year in the Women's and Colts tournaments, which will also be played in Tamworth.

The Women will play twice on Saturday in their quest to qualify for the Thompson Cup Final, to be played Sunday.

The Rowland Colts Cup tournament will be conducted as a round robin with the U20s boys playing twice on Saturday and twice on Sunday with the Cup going to the first past the post.

Colts co-coach Ben Ridgway said Illawarra were heading to Tamworth with the intention to win the tournament.

"We had this chat with our team before our last training session and we were all on the same page - we're going up there to win it," he said.

"We're not going to go up there just for the experience, we're going to go up there and try and win this thing.

"So anything but that would be disappointing.

"But as long as they go up there and play their best footy, put their best foot forward, that's all we can ask of them. And if the results don't go our way, they don't go our way, but we're going up there with the intention to win it."