The Sharks congratulate Nikora Williams, Alex Challenor and Tom Dellow on being selected to represent the Australian Schoolboys after shining at last week's national championships in Coffs Harbour.
The trio are local juniors who have been members of Cronulla's elite pathways system since the under 14s, with Williams hailing from the Aquinas club, Challenor a De La Salle Caringbah product and Dellow a Como-Jannali alumnus.
Challenor's under-18 NSW Combined Catholic Colleges side took out the ASSRL Championships final with a 40-12 win over a NSW Combined High Schools team captained by Williams and containing Dellow and fellow Shark Aaron Keppie.
Dellow – the reigning Sharks Junior Representative Player of the Year – was awarded the prestigious title of CHS Player of the Carnival.
Williams, a classy centre who can kick goals, has earned his second Australian Schoolboys jumper after facing Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby in 2023.
The Schoolboys stars impressed for Cronulla in this year's junior representative season. Dellow, a tough, skilful lock, led the under-17 Harold Matthews Cup side to week two of the finals, where they were edged out 8-6 by the Magpies.
Powerful prop Challenor and Williams combined in the under-19 SG Ball Cup ranks. Williams has since graduated to the under-21 Jersey Flegg Cup team, more than holding his own in the backline against older opponents.
The Australian Schoolboys will play later in the year, with details to come.
See the full squad below.
2024 Australian Under 18 Schoolboys Team
1 - Jack Attard (NSWCCC)
2 - Luke Tuialii (ACT)
3 - Nikora Williams (NSWCHS)
4 - Sam Stephenson (QRSS)
5 - Mason Barber (QRSS)
6 - Mitchell Woods (NSWCIS)
7 - Toby Rodwell (NSWCIS)
8 - Alex Challenor (NSWCCC)
9 - Lachlan Coinakis (NSWCCC)
10 - Cody Hopwood (NSWCCC)
11 - Jacob Halangahu (NSWCCC)
12 - Zac Garton (QRSS)
13 - Thomas Dellow (NSWCHS)
14 - Jared Haywood (NSWCCC)
15 - Simione Laiafi (NSWCHS)
16 - Ryda Talagi (NSWCHS)
17 - Tyson Sangalang (NSWCCC)
18 - Lincoln Fletcher (NSWCHS)
