Calrossy coach, Conrad Starr says a new partnership between the school and Northern Suburbs is about providing an avenue for the schools talented rugby players to, should they wish, test themselves in the Sydney competition.
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Through the partnership those finishing school will have a ready-made pathway.
Starr himself took that route, playing several seasons with Norths and said it was a "fantastic experience".
The Pirates captain has been one of the driving forces in creating the partnership. He was the one that really got the ball rolling with a passing comment at a 10-year reunion for the premiership-winning Norths second grade side, which he was part of.
"The main benefit for them is having that point of contact for them when they leave school," Starr said.
"We're starting to develop some talented young footy players out at Calrossy and I just wanted to open up an avenue for them if they're heading down to Sydney."
Earlier in the season the club sent some players/staff up to help the Calrossy teams prepare for the season.
After the coaching session, Starr said the opens boys had the opportunity to go out on camp with the Norths players and get a bit of an insight about professionalism and what it's like being involved with a club like Norths.
One of those to make the trip was a former Calrossy alumni in Henry Cameron.
Starr said they are also hoping to go down to Sydney at some stage.
"We're looking to do a trip down there with the opens and opens girls, because Norths are really big on trying to get a good pathway for girls rugby, and Calrossy's got some big numbers now with the girls rugby, and have a look around Norths and watch a couple of Norths games, colts and grade, and just experience it and make some more connections," he said.
"It's just a great opportunity that we can open up and a great partnership that hopefully we can build on and build on into the future."
At this stage they are taking year by year.
"We've never heard of anything like this between a club and a school before so we're just trying to feel the ground really at the moment and see what works and then hopefully make it bigger and better every year," Starr said.
He said there is also the opportunity for some of the players in the school holidays to go down and have a run with the Norths colts, and "get a taste of it" and develop some connections.
Reflecting on his own experience Starr said he knew no-one went he moved down to Sydney but the club were fantastic.
"As I soon as I got there Norths embraced me. There were a lot of Country boys that came and the Norths club just took us in and looked after us and we had a really great time," he said.
Norths director of rugby Chris Hall said the club is "excited about the opportunity to connect into the Tamworth region and in particular develop a longstanding relationship with Calrossy and its men and women's rugby programs".
"We will be focused on ensuring that there is a clear pathway for any player - both young man or woman, who moves to Sydney from Calrossy and wants to be the best player and person they can be," he added.
