GROUP NINE
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POWERFUL Temora recruit PeeWee Moke only needs to overcome a niggling groin injury to become a last-minute addition to the Group Nine Indigenous All Stars team.
Moke, who sustained the groin injury while making his first appearance for Temora at the West Wyalong Knockout, was a surprise omission from the Indigenous All Stars squad.
- GALLERIES: Indigenous All Stars, Group Nine All Stars
Little yesterday revealed Moke could be a late inclusion to the stellar squad, pending his recovery from the injury.
"PeeWee is struggling with a groin injury he is carrying from the West Wyalong Knockout so we are waiting to see how things go with him," he said.
"We are leaving the gates open for him to come into the squad but if he can't, we have a couple of different options we can go with."
Speaking to The Daily Advertiser after the squad's first training session together on Wednesday night, Little declared he was impressed with the initial hit-out and team's overall level of fitness.
"The boys all seemed really sharp and looked like they had been doing a fair bit of work with their clubs," he said.
"(Wednesday night) was a bit of a meet and greet for us, and a chance to get a few calls for different moves and plays down pat."
Among the players to catch Little's attention at training on Wednesday was hulking Junee recruit Toby Key.
"I have been exposed to Toby previous to this and he is certainly a big, strong young man," Little said.
"It doesn't take long to see he has plenty to offer.
"We have a fair few big boppers in the team, so it will be important for us to have the rotations of these big boys worked out so we are making the most of them."
Little also praised returning stars Glendon Morris and Pani Manawatu for forcing the hand of selectors with their outstanding performances at West Wyalong.
"Glendon is one bloke who is a bit of a surprise to have back in the team, but he is one player who definitely deserved a crack," he said.
"They (Morris and Manawatu) put on a show at West Wyalong."
While Little is yet to settle on positions for the March 16 clash at Albury's Greenfield Park, he yesterday hinted his hefty squad will influence his game plan.
"For us it will be about finding the right balance because size isn't the only thing you need to factor in," he said. "We have some very fast blokes as well.
"At this stage I would expect we would look to play hard up the middle and then move the ball out wide."
Not only confident in the ability of his players, Little said the strength of the camaraderie within the squad was the team's greatest asset.
"That's the biggest key for us because the camaraderie has been there since day one," Little said.
"We have some real characters in this team and the whole squad just gels together."
Little plans to wait to see the make-out of the Group Nine All Stars before naming his team.
"It's a bit of cat and mouse," Little joked.
"At this stage the team and game plan hasn't been decided but we are 90 percent there.
"We have a few players that can play in an array of positions and we want them to have the chance to perform in different positions in front of the Group Nine team selectors."
