championship carnivals.

Jenna Collingridge recently returned home from the Under 15 Girls National Youth Football Championships held in Coffs Harbour as a member of the historic NSW Country side which claimed the National Title, while Joe Bunworth and his NSW Country teammates exceeded even their own

expectations at the under 13s Friendship Games held at Sydney’s Valentine Sports Park.

The Friendship Games are a precursor to National level and as such the overall winner isn’t officially recognised with the emphasis placed on preparation rather than performance.

Having been defeated by arch-rivals NSW Metro

2-0 in the pool matches, Jenna’s NSW Country side was keen for redemption after qualifying for the semi finals courtesy of a 2-0 win over South Australia, a

3-2 triumph against Tasmania and a torrid one-all draw with Victoria.

Drawn against the strong Queensland outfit in the semi finals, NSW Country struck early, scoring in the 13th minute and holding on grimly for the remainder of the game to set up a rematch against the Metro girls.

Two goals inside the opening four minutes of the final gave the Country girls the belief they needed and despite Metro hitting back a minute before half time, the ‘bushies’ kept their rivals at bay throughout the second half for a magical victory.

Joe and his teammates headed to Sydney having been set a goal by their coach Tim Wilson to win three of their seven matches.

A 3-0 whitewash of ACT in the opening round

followed by a blistering 2-0 win over the fancied Victorian Country and a dominant 5-2 win over South Australia Red had Wilson and his Country boys re-evaluating their goals.

Joe, one of only four boys from the Riverina, scored one goal against SA Red, the other four coming from the boot of Nick Rutherford from Southern Branch.

After a rest day, the NSW Country side held their own against a well-drilled Victoria Metro side despite going down 3-0, while in the afternoon they held South Australia Blue to a one-all draw.

The final game of an exhausting campaign saw NSW Country up against their state rivals NSW Metro, the city slickers proving to good 3-0.

In an exceptional tournament, NSW Country

finished third of seven, with Joe more than holding his own at such a high level of competition.