Albury Thunder's Zain Mitchell-Dowding discovers first grade craft

Zain Mitchell-Dowding is only 17 and in Year 12 at Albury High School, but has now played three first grade games.

It's been a tough initiation for the schoolboy, who is 190cms and a strongly built 102kgs.

"I've had to work on trying to be smarter, trying to run into gaps, rather than just trying to run over someone," he explained.

"I'm learning different ways to run and ways I should be tackling, so I don't miss any tackles."

It's hard to understate how difficult it is to play first grade rugby league as a schoolboy and even moreso in the forwards.

But Mitchell-Dowding showed tremendous courage in the recent losses to Wagga Kangaroos and Young.

And it doesn't get any easier against another top five outfit in Southcity at the Thunder's Greenfield Park on Sunday.

"I like the physical side, it's good, it keeps the adrenaline pumping," he suggested.

The teenager was born in Wodonga, before the family moved to Wagga for primary school, followed by Byron Bay for the first three years of high school.

He played for the Byron Bay Red Devils, before returning to the Border in 2019.

He missed that season with an ankle reconstruction, while the Thunder didn't play last year due to COVID restrictions.

Mitchell-Dowding scored a crucial try in the thrilling 24-18 loss to Kangaroos, but Young proved too strong 40-8.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Southcity sits just above Young in second spot, with Tumut leading the competition.

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