But tough is exactly what the veteran mentor is looking for.

In search of attitude and strength as he looks to take the division’s under 23s squad to a country championship title, Jackson will lead the Rams to Toronto this weekend for its first real hit-out of the 2017 season.

After two training runs at Manildra, Jackson’s squad has been culled from 47 to 33 ahead of the trial match with the Knights’ under 20s unit, a side that’s well into its pre-season in preparation for round one of the Holden Cup three weeks from Saturday’s trial.

Forbes Magpies’ Mitch Burke has made the cut. 

The Knights under 20s side boasts arguably two of Western’s most promising juniors in the form of Forbes’ Mitch Andrews and Blayney’s Lachlan Farr.

Jackson has named a strong squad, picking a number of Rams juniors who have trailed with NRL clubs ahead of the season proper while training with Western in the off season.

Orange CYMS duo Ryan Griffin and Jack Bastick are two of those players.

Jackson was confident his Rams players would give a good account of themselves throughout the trial, but admitted the Knights side will be strong.

“I think the players we’ve picked, picked themselves,” Jackson said, in his second year in charge of the Rams most senior side.

“We had two good attendances at the training runs we’ve had. A few guys were no shows, that made those decisions easy, and some guys are still carrying a few niggles like Benny Maguire, so we’ve stayed clear of those guys to give them rest.

“We’ve put them through some pretty intensive fitness stuff in that first session and I was surprised at how well they responded for so early in the year.

“We’ll be a bit underdone, that’s to be expected, but we’ll be able to tell who’s put the work in after the Knights game.”

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