Mount Gambier’s Hayden Tickle has just come back from playing NRL SA for the U18s state rugby league team in Adelaide where he gained some valuable experience.

Tickle moved to the Limestone Coast with family several months ago from Queensland.

The youngster has long held a passion for rugby league and was given the opportunity after playing a country match in the city of churches and impressed selectors.

“Not too long before that I played a city country match in Adelaide as well and that ignited me wanting to play more again,” he said

“With that I wanted to play in the state team as well.

“I did want to get selected and did not get much of a chance to show them what I could do but everything I have done up to the point I got selected was meaningful towards it, I guess.

“I used to play NRL in Queensland for Brothers League club from the age of six to under 12’s.”

Having settled in Mount Gambier, Tickle was on the lookout for somewhere to play.

“There was no junior rugby to play in this area, we did find some games in Adelaide to play, “he said

“After months of looking I have somewhere to play and that is at the Blue Lake Knights and I have been training with them.

“Going forward in the next couple of years I will be looking to play with them a lot more.”