MAITLAND Pickers coach Luke Dorn remains unsure if Cooper Jenkins lines up against Macquarie at home on Saturday, but the recently selected Australian Schoolboys representative will be given every chance.
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Jenkins was one of two Hunter players named in the country's under-18 rugby league squad, which takes on the same New Zealand age group in a one-off Test in Brisbane on September 29.
The Hunter Valley Grammar School student will be joined at the international fixture by Mitchell Black, who attends St Mary's at Gateshead, following their performances at the national titles in Canberra last week.
Jenkins has played a handful of first grade games with the Pickers throughout 2019 and may back up in round 13 against the Scorpions at Maitland Sportsground.
Either way, Dorn enjoys having the versatile teenager wearing black and white.
"He [Jenkins] is great," Dorn said.
"A big powerful kid and a great person as well.
"Everything he does is flat out. He's a real handful when he carries the ball. Great to have in our set up."
Jenkins missed Maitland's crucial 19-16 win over Kurri Kurri on Saturday.
* SOUTH Newcastle winger Harry Van Dartel will be sidelined for Saturday's meeting with Kurri Kurri at Townson Oval after being suspended this week.
Van Dartel entered an early guilty plea for a grade one shoulder charge in Sunday's top-of-the-table loss to Western Suburbs at Harker Oval.
* LAKES juniors held "Henry's Day" on the weekend, helping out the devastated school library of their Fijian-bred under 17s coach Henry Fisher.
