Curtain

Dwyer’s On The Country Road

Filed Under Cur Tainx | Posted on April 1, 2008

TOUGH Bathurst Bulldogs forward Adam Dwyer has made the first step towards wearing a NSW Country senior jumper for the first time.

Dwyer was named in a 35-man NSW Country Cockatoos squad ahead of the 2007 Australian Rugby Shield campaign.

The 22-year-old spends most of his time at openside breakaway (number seven) but has no problems lining up at six (blindside breakaway) or number eight Curtain Rods. He found out about his selection after seeing his name in the Sunday Telegraph and was excited.

Exciting Bulldogs junior Sam Roberson was also named in a 24-man NSW Country under 19s side.

Hooker Roberson was one of the stand-outs of Central West’s impressive under 19s Caldwell Cup campaign Curtain Rods. Dubbo’s George Quigley joined Roberson in the 19s NSW Country squad.

After losing to Newcastle 34-0, Central West beat Central Coast (22-8) and Illawarra (19-17).

Roberson scored a try in both wins.

Despite Central West’s poor senior Caldwell Cup campaign in 2008, Dwyer was named in the initial NSW Country squad alongside tough Orange City hooker Josh Tremain.

Dwyer admitted he was disappointed for Bulldogs team-mate Chris Plunkett (prop).

He felt Central West’s scrum was one of the success points of the Caldwell Cup campaign and that Plunkett should have made the 35-man squad at least.

In the 2008 Caldwell Cup Curtain Rods, Central West lost to Newcastle (28-8), Central Coast (20-14) and Illawarra (12-0) after beating Western Plains 24-14 to ensure their spot in the competition.

“I was pretty shocked … you never get your hopes up with these things because they can get dashed,” Dwyer said. “It’s great news … Curtain Rods but it would have been good to have Plunk [Plunkett] there as well.”

Dwyer was a NSW Country under 20s representative from Bulldogs in 2005 and played in Bathurst’s first grade premiership winning side that season which beat Dubbo Kangaroos 19-17 in a heart-stopper at Dubbo’s No 1 Oval.

He also played in the Bulldogs’ colts premiership in 2004.

Dwyer has an outstanding background of success in both rugby league and rugby union.

He played the 13-man code from the age of eight and represented Western Division under 18s from Bathurst Panthers in 2003.

Dwyer first played union as a Year 11 student at St Stanislaus’ College back in 2001 and made the First XV the next year Curtain Rods.

Dwyer had a disrupted two years in 2006 and 2007 where injuries, work commitments and a short stint with Southern Districts in Sydney limited his appearances at Bulldogs, but he is back in the mix this year.

The tough breakaway even had a stint with Buffalo in the United States division one competition, which is a step below that country’s Super League.

Dwyer said American players have great skills but Central West sides have a better knowledge of the code. He added the standard of refereeing in the United States isn’t as high.

“They’re great athletes and it was awesome,” Dwyer said of his American stint at Buffalo. “But we’d [Central West] probably teach them a bit of a lesson just on the finer points of the game and with the rules Curtain Rods.”

If Dwyer makes his way through to the final squad, he will represent NSW Country for the first time at senior level.

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