All eyes will be on the City-Country Origin clash this weekend as Cootamundra product Jack De Belin lines up for his second Country representative appearance.
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The Dragons lock has gone from strength to strength this NRL season, racking up an game average of 131 running metres and two offloads, and is considered a genuine NSW Origin contender in 2017.
De Belin was a try-scorer in last year’s loss to City and will be out to make a statement in the final act of a City-Country Origin rivalry spanning over a century.
“Any time you get to wear the Country jersey and represent your hometown is an honour,” de Belin said.
“It’s particularly special when you realise that this is the last ever City-Country match.”
The powerful Dragons forward has been in scintillating form and would undoubtedly be in Laurie Daley’s frame of mind for higher honours, but the former Cootamundra Bulldog hasn’t forgotten his roots.
”Some of the best years of my life were spent in Cootamundra playing with the Dogs,” de Belin said.
“I’ll be forever grateful to the Bulldogs and they opportunities they provided me with to develop my career.”
De Belin still keeps an eye out for the Bulldogs in Group Nine, however he ruled out a return to the Blue and White to bolster the struggling First Grade side.
“It’s great to see the club still hanging in there and I’ll always be supporting them,” he said.
In further league news, the Bulldogs’ “Blue and White” Ball on May 19 is fast approaching.
