Halls travelled to Cootamundra to trial along with 300 other players and was chosen on the wing.

He is the only Albury player in the side, with the rest of the team hailing from Wagga, Temora, Cootamundra, Young and Gundagai.

Group 9 played a trial match against Group 20 last month and won, with Halls among the try-scorers.

The year 8 student also represented Albury High School in this year's Thunder Cup.

"Ned has a passion for rugby league and looks forward to any chance he gets to play a game," his mother Jamie said.

"He also plays up in the under-15s Albury Thunder team."

A further four Thunder juniors made Group 9 teams, playing in the cluster in the under-12 and under-13 age groups at Wagga last weekend.

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Meanwhile, Albury Thunder Junior Rugby League will stage its very first twilight games with the club's under-sevens and under-nines to play under lights at Greenfield Park tonight.

Under-sevens games kick-off at 6pm, followed by the under-nines at 7pm.

Thunder's senior players will be in attendance to present game day awards.

Saturday sees the junior club host Gundagai at Sarvaas Park, with the under-sixes to start at a huge day of matches at 9am.

Final games for under-nines and 10s get under way at 2pm.

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