Ben Nicholson, Daniel Webb and Jannssen O'Malley are the three players selected for this prestigious match having previously played in the Australian Masters.
This will be Jannssen O'Malley's second year playing for the side and he will serve as vice captain, while both Nicholson and Webb will be making their debut appearances.
The three have played together for several years with O'Malley and Nicholson playing since 1995, including state representative matches.
The ANZAC Day match has been held for the past three years, with New Zealand winning the inaugural match, and Australia taking out the victory last year. It is a significant day where both national anthems are played, the haka is performed, and a minute's silence is observed to remember those who served in war.
The players are thrilled to be part of the foundation of a new initiative which they see becoming bigger and better each year. They are also proud to represent their local club and are looking forward to the opportunity to play at a higher level.
“It's an honour to represent Australia and to be part of such a significant day,” Jannssen told the Free Press.
“We have been training down in Melbourne and we’re looking forward to hopefully beating New Zealand again. The scores are even so it’s going to be a great match.”
“I've been playing with Ben and Daniel for years, so it's great to have them alongside me in the team. We know each other's games well and we work well together on the field.
“It's great to be representing our local club and community on the national stage.”
“We are also thrilled to be part of the foundation of this new initiative, and I think it has the potential to become a really important event on the rugby league calendar,” Ben added.
“It's great to see the Masters Rugby League gaining more recognition and support, and we hope this will encourage more people to take up the sport.”
In addition to the three Corowa Cougars players, representatives have been selected from Wodonga, Wangaratta and Melbourne, bringing together a diverse group of experienced rugby league players.
