Rugby League: Scott Blanch set for an 'exciting' WEG 9s happening

The outstanding North Tamworth Bear appears to be a perfect fit as a skipper in the fast and explosive 9s football genre.

The 30-year-old civil constructor is just coming off a two-year stint as captain-coach of the North Tamworth Bears. They won both Group 4 premierships with Blanch at the helm and also snared a third Clayton Cup (the symbol of rugby league supremacy in Country NSW).

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Last year's grand final defeat of the Roosters was the Bears' 21st title and their sixth in succession.

Before Blanch's golden reign, they won four premierships in succession under Brad McManus from 2014-2017.

McManus also won a Clayton Cup and appears likely to be Blanch's manager for the Marius Street Family Dental side.

"It's going to be exciting, going to be fun and going to be entertaining," Blanch said of the inaugural 9s competition. "It's also going to be a good promotion for the game."

He's also certain it will be a good outlet for many players who haven't been able to don their footie boots this year because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Blanch might be one of the best players in Group 4 but he's also one of the most humble and loyal people you would find.

He began his football career in Manilla and jokes how two "young Manilla blokes", in Mitch Doring and himself, are now skippering two of the four sides in the Wests Entertainment Group 9s.

"I played for the Manilla under-12s," he recalled with great affection.

Then he went to Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School and captained Farrer to a Uni Shield Final win over Sarah Redfern High while also playing for the North Tamworth under-18s.

That was a huge 2008 season as his Uni Shield win also launched him into the NRL where he played four seasons in the Manly Sea Eagles lower grades.

It was an exciting time for him yet he elected to move to France where he played a couple of seasons in the French Elite 1 competition with Limoux.

Now that was an education.

Both rugby league and life, and enabled him and partner Millie Woolaston, whom he marries in November, to travel all over the continent.

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"It was unreal," Blanch said.

"Entirely different type of game over there. They played a very different style."

Then he returned to the family farm (between Tamworth and Manilla) played a few games with Glen Innes before hitching up with the Bears under his (now) great mate Brad McManus.

Winning five premierships in succession "two as captain-coach" has been enormous for him.

"We were undefeated at the Manilla Tigers through to the under-11's," he added.

One of the Marius Street Family Dental dentists, Josh Chua, is looking forward to it.

He's just recently arrived in Tamworth and knows little about the game.

"It's a whole new game for me," he admitted when he met Blanch with Werris Creek Rugby League Football Club secretary Lisa Dellar.

Dellar also works at the Marius Street Family Dental and has rugby league coursing through her veins being the daughter of legendary Werris Creek coach Ron Dellar and wife of one of Group 4's best ever players in Stewart Porter.

She is also an advocate for the WEG 9's and certain it will be a success when it kicks off in October.