Five Kempsey Cannonballs players have earned selection into the Mid North Coast Axemen representative side to play at the NSW Country Championships this weekend.
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Braden Farrawell, Kini Dauvucu, Iulio Tavete and Carl Thurgood have been picked into the men's side while Hugh Shannon will take to the field for the Under-19s.
Farrawell will line up in the backrow, Tavete and Dauvucu play in the outside backs and Thurgood and Shannon were selected to play in the second row.
While the selection marks Farrawell's second time in the Axemen's squad, the 27-year-old admits he was shocked to get the call up.
However, he wasn't surprised one bit that his teammates were announced in the team.
"I feel like there are a lot of high quality players in the zone so I wasn't sure if I was going to be selected but it felt good when I found out I was," Farrawell told the Argus.
"But I knew Kini, Iulio and Carl were going to be in the team. I think they would have been the first couple of players picked."
The Axemen lifted the Richardson Shield for the first time, after they defeated Far North Coast at the NSW Country Championships held in Port Macquarie.
The 2019 Country Championships will be held in Tamworth and the Axemen will play two matches.
The Axemen are in the top tier, which has a total of four teams, and they will face Central West in their opening game.
If they win, they will advance to face the winning side from the other top tier game while a loss will result in them versing the side which lost.
"We will be up against the three strongest teams after the Hunter pulled out of the competition," Farrawell said.
While the focus won't be on club rugby this weekend, Farrawell claims the Cannonballs are a premier side in the Upper Mid North Coast competition despite their struggles to start the year.
"Having five players selected into Mid North Coast representative teams, as well as Heath Lancaseter who is playing for NSW Country, in our side proves that we are still contenders in the zone," Farrawell said.
"Carl was spot on when he said (in the Argus earlier this week) we haven't been able to put together an 80-minute performance.
"If we can do that then we will be able to match it with the best teams."
Cannonbelles players Jess Grant, Shawnee Potts, Ruby Colling and Imeleta Tavete will also be in action for the Mid North Coast Tomahawks.
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