For most of Western's six NSW Country representatives, Friday night's clash with a Harold Matthews representative outfit - never mind the 16-6 defeat - was the highlight of their young careers.
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In a hard-fought game at Penrith Stadium in the lead-up to the Panthers' round 10 NRL clash with the New Zealand Warriors, the Harold Matthews boys proved too strong for their bush cousins.
The four-tries-to-one victory marked a rekindling of sorts for the old City-Country concept.
Turoa Williams opened the scoring for the hosts on the 20-minute mark, breaking the deadlock after a grueling, physical opening to the clash.
Eight minutes later the City boys were in again through centre Fletcher Myers and with both conversion attempts missing the score remained at 8-0 at the break.
NSW Country hit back immediately in the second period, though, with the Northern Rivers Titans combination of Oskar Bryant and Thomas Weaver producing a try and conversion respectively to get their side back to within two points of the Harold Matthews outfit.
But Bulldogs star Paul Alamoti scored next for Harold Matthews in the right corner to put his side in front 12-6.
And when Lachlan Crouch followed that up with another try for City it put the icing on the cake.
Parkes Marist players Finnley Neilsen and Kyle Mawhinney, who both attend Red Bend Catholic College, were among the six Rams' boys who represented Country.
The remaining Rams were Matthew Noakes - also from Red Bend Catholic College, Jackson Gersbach (Cabonne), Braye Porter (St John's Dubbo) and Aston Warwick (South Dubbo).