But last week it was a good thing he did when a New South Wales Rugby League representative was on the other end of the line.

Doubting whether he should accept the call, Davis-Caldwell was soon breathing easy after he was told he had been selected for the NSW Country under-18 team.

"A number from Sydney, New South Wales called and I don't know what made me answer it ... something just made me answer it," he said.

"I can't remember who it was, but they said that they were from the NSWRL and I'd made the team and then I got really excited. I was stoked."

The talented halfback or five-eighth was one of North Coast's best in their under-18 Laurie Daley Cup campaign that saw them defeated by Illawarra South Coast in the grand final this month.

"I was pretty happy with how I went this season. I think I played pretty well throughout the competition and I thought I did a bit better than most of the opposition halves," he said.

He has been selected in other previous representative teams, but the ongoing pandemic prevented the teenager from taking his place in the NSW Indigenous team last year.

"I'd say (selection for NSW Country) will be the highest (representative selection) I've made apart from last year," he said.

The NSW Country under-18 team travel to Sydney in May for a three-day camp at Homebush before they play the NSW City under-18 team.

Davis-Caldwell will hope that provides him with some more much-needed game time for the delayed Group 3 rugby league season which is set to kick off on May 7.

"I was stoked; I'm really excited," he said.

Coach Ant Cowan said his Mustangs halfback is a natural born footballer who has the world at his feet.

"Shane can go a long way with football if he wants to, but that's totally up to him," he said.

"The world is his oyster at the end of the day, but he just needs the right people around him to support him every step of the way and I'm happy to be a part of it whenever he needs.

"He's just a good, young kid to be around at training and one kid I can rely on when I need spots or a position filled."

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