The first 'cross conference' under 17s match was played on the weekend when the Tamworth Roosters hosted the Sawtell-Toormina Saints at No. 1 Oval.
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North West and North Coast sides will clash 12 times throughout the season to give junior teams more footy this year.
North West teams will still have byes throughout the year but this initiative has filled some of the gaps.
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Roosters coach Greg Vallender said it was "a good concept".
"It needs exploring more and it's definitely good for the kids," Vallender, who missed part of the 17s clash on Saturday as he was in Gunnedah with the 14s, said.
"Those guys that came over on Saturday, and I didn't see all of it, but they're a step of two ahead of where our kids are as a whole. It looks like they've played together a couple years and come through a competition together."
The Roosters went down 17.11 (113) to 2.7 (19) against Sawtell-Toormina.
Vallender said the under 17s playing more often and against strong opposition would be beneficial for the development of his players.
He said the Roosters could learn a lot from the North Coast sides.
"That's what we spoke about at the end of the day. The way they moved the footy, the way they used the handball and that sort of stuff. They were good to watch," Vallender said.
Next weekend the Glen Innes Celts will travel to Grafton for the second cross-conference clash against the Tigers.
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