St George Illawarra Dragons second-rower Joel Thompson believes the Red-and-Whites’ recent form is just reason for so many players earning representative honours this weekend.
The Ivanhoe-native is one of twelve Dragons players selected to compete for various marquee teams in fixtures that will sprawl the east coast from Brisbane and the Gold Coast in the north right down to Wagga Wagga in the south.
Thompson, alongside teammates Tyson Frizell and Mitch Rein, is part of a 17-man team named for the NSW Country Origin team which will compete against rivals NSW City in the annual traditional fixture to be held at McDonalds Park, Wagga Wagga on Sunday
“It’s good for the Club that so many of our players have been selected into different representative teams,” said Thompson.
“We’ve all trained and worked hard which can be seen with our most recent results so these rewards come with that.
“I am so happy for Mitch; he’s been playing really well this season so it was good to see him get called up as well as Tyson.
“We all travelled up into camp together so I know both of them are happy to be a part of the team and it’s good we can experience what lies ahead together.
“I’m looking forward to playing alongside blokes I usually wouldn’t have the opportunity to and we’re all playing for the same thing.
“I always go up against these guys so it’ll be good to have them as teammates for a change.
“Wagga is one of my eight home towns and I’ll have a fair bit of family there watching the game so I’m looking forward to that also.
“I come from a small community in Ivanhoe which is in far-west NSW and pretty country so wearing the jersey means a lot to me.”
