YOUTH and inexperience will not be a selection issue when teenage front-rower Jamin Jolliffe is rushed into the Kangaroos team for a make-or-break Group Nine clash at Equex Centre on Sunday.
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After a fortnight out of the team, Jolliffe has been penciled in for a dramatic return against Young in the elimination final.
At 17, Jolliffe will be the youngest player in either team, but Kangaroos coach Adam Hall is utterly unconcerned.
Five days out from a defining moment in Roos season, Hall yesterday backed the powerful prop to be in the frontline of the fight for football survival.
Hall is an unabashed fan of Jolliffe, who is right among the most outstanding emerging talents in the Riverina.
"We'll be pretty much full strength," Hall said yesterday.
"Jimmy Jolliffe will come straight back in.
"Mitch Blackstock played up front on Sunday and will go back to lock."
Jolliffe is a student at The Riverina Anglican College in Wagga and starred when the school triumphed in the Hardy Shield this year.
With school and junior football on the back burner, Jolliffe faces another acid test in Sunday's cut-throat final, which has no safety net for the loser.
The rookie forward was given a break after his heavy playing schedule and is refreshed for the finals campaign.
Heading into Sunday's duel, Kangaroos is in season-best form, while Young is clearly struggling.
The Cherrypickers were well off the pace against Gundagai at the weekend, crashing 44-30 after trailing 44-6 at one stage.
In contrast, Roos have won seven games on end, including a 38-8 drubbing of Young in July.
Despite the earlier landslide victory, Hall is not discounting Sunday's rival.
"They definitely had an off day," he said.
"That's football. They're a good side and they've got a good coach.
"It's a different kettle of fish completely.
"This will definitely be a tough game."
Hall says Roos burst of sparkling form, which climaxed with a 54-14 shellacking of Tumut on Saturday, has set up the team for the finals.
"It's good to be going on the back of seven wins," he said.
"We're still under no illusions that semi-final football will be different to round (home and away) football.
"I think the top three (teams) deserve to be there and us and Young have to catch up."
Recalling Saturday's thumping of the Blues, Hall said Roos took time to find their rhythm.
"The first half was a bit scrappy," he said.
"In the second half we stuck to our structures."
Hall is bursting with optimism before Sunday's fight to the death.
"We can't wait," he said.
"Obviously we're confident."
TO THE DEATH
Roos v Cherrypickers
What: Elimination final
When: 2.35pm, Sunday
Where: Equex Centre