Young first grade coach Nick Hall is urging Cherrypickers players to be ready for pre-season training when he returns to Australia in early December.
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Hall is manager of the NSW Country under-16s side which flies to England on Sunday on its tour of the United Kingdom.
This is the third straight season Hall has travelled with the under-16s, following the 2017 tour of New Zealand and last year's camp at Coffs Harbour.
Hall is expecting a busy couple of weeks, but wants to make sure it's an experience the boys will never forget.
"It's a bigger trip [than previous years] and I have a few more duties. It's no holiday, the last two trips I've come home and crashed," he said.
"We're going to try and give them some experiences and memories. There'll be plenty of opportunities in England."
The side includes Young's Mitch Prest and former junior Cherrypicker Matt Noakes.
The two-week tour includes games against England Community Lions and Leeds Rhinos Academy.
"They are elite kids, the best of the best. The football side of things is a pleasure, they're good at it. But they're still 16-year-old kids," Hall said.
While Hall is focusing on managing a successful tour of the United Kingdom, he's also scheduled Young's pre-season to begin one day after he lands back in Australia.
Hall is encouraging anyone with aspirations to play first grade in 2020 to attend, with pre-season beginning on December 3.
"Get ready, it's going to be a little harder than you expect. We're going to maintain a standard and hold a high standard next year and hopefully do better than we did. Sometimes it's just about maintaining standards and pushing the standards higher. Starting on December 3, let's set the standard. I love it, I'm really looking forward to it," Hall said.
"Anyone who is a footy tragic who has aspirations with football should be coming along. It's going to be hard but come along. If reserves and 18s have aspirations to be in my first grade squad next year they should be coming, and that's a handful of 18s, and a handful of reggies."
Hall said pre-season will involve fitness, education, skills and drills, challenges and fun.
He said positions in the first grade line-up are up for grabs.
"We'll do some new things this season, definitely some new game plans. People are getting measured straight away, you have to earn your spot. The opportunities are there. If people are willing to earn it, I'm willing to give them their spot. I'm going to give them a shot if they're up for it."
Pre-season training will be held Tuesdays and Fridays during the first three weeks of December at Alfred Oval from 6pm.
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