The Greater Northern Tigers begin their ladies tackle Country Championships assault against Northern Rivers Titans, at Lismore on Saturday, with a family duo.
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Mother and daughter Gaynor and Shai Blackadder will turn out for the Tigers on a day when the Tiger men's under-23 side also start their Country Championships campaign.
It's a huge day for the Tigers, with the under-16 and under-18 Tiger sides also continuing their Country Championships campaigns, the two junior sides playing fourth round Andrew Johns Cup and Laurie Daley Cup matches against the Titans.
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For Merriwa's Gaynor and Shai Blackadder, it will be a big day.
Shai, 19, will line up in the centres while her 39-year-old mother is a prop in the Mick Schmiedel-coached side.
It's not the first time they have played together.
Both have been mainstays in the Merriwa Magpies' ladies league tag and ladies tackle sides.
Gaynor has played the last "four or five years" in an end-of-season tackle competition for the Magpies.
"We've won the last two comps undefeated," Gaynor said.
"It's been very good.
"I was also in this side that beat the Titans in Armidale last year."
A customer service consultant with the Upper Hunter Shire Council at Merriwa, she is delighted to be joined by her daughter in the Tigers side.
Shai attends the Newcastle University two days a week studying a bachelor of English.
She has also enjoyed success with the Magpies and hopes to excel for the Tigers on Saturday.
Gaynor is vice-captain of the side, to be led by Amy Barraclough.
Schmiedel reckons it is a "nice touch" having a mother and daughter playing along side each other.
"It's a fair achievement," Schmiedel said.
"They are handy players. Shai is only 19 and very, very good defensively. Can hit in defence."
