Two of these footballers came from the Bega Roosters with Deon Apps and Dale Finucane signing with two distinguished rugby league clubs in 2009.

On the back of a career-best season with the Roosters, Apps has ventured to the North Sydney Bears and in their first trial match last weekend, was a standout.

The Bears now act as a feeder club for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and continued strong performance could see him run out in first grade in the near future.

Apps is a player who represented Group 16 in every age group and also played in the Monaro Division at U/18s and senior level.

He is a great player to watch in action and always looks to create opportunity while his defence for the Roosters last year was sensational.

Former Roosters teammate, Dale Finucane, has joined the Bulldogs in 2009 and is playing in their SG Ball U/18 side.

In his debut year in first grade, Finucane showed enormous talent and has also represented Group 16 at every age level.

In 2008, he debuted for the Greater Southern Stingrays (group 7 and 16) in the U/18 CRL Country Championships.

Finucane can play five-eighth or step into anywhere in the back row and has worked tirelessly at his game and prides himself on his defence.

The Merimbula/Pambula Bulldogs is proud to see former talented fullback James Dirou has earned a contract with the St George/Illawarra Dragons and will play in their U/20 side in 2009.

Dirou also represented Group 16 in every age group as well as the Monaro Division U/18s.

Further down south at Eden, the star of the Group 16 grand final day, John Aldridge, has been picked up by the Melbourne Storm.

Aldridge was man of the match in Eden’s reserve grade victory and then backed up to play a starring role in their first grade win.

Another who played for the Greater Southern Stingrays U/18s in 2008 he is a halfback or five-eight with great vision and can dominate games.

Moruya boy Mitchell Kennedy will join older brother, Jared, at the Canberra Raiders in 2009 while Sam Williams from the Cooma Stallions will also join the Raiders.

Both players will represent Canberra SG Ball side this year.

The Group 16 already has a number of players who have graduated to an NRL club.

Heading the list is Dragon’s recruit, Mick Weyman, while Chris Houston (Newcastle), Grant Hetherington, Brett Kelly and Jared Kennedy (all Canberra) are playing at the top level of the sport.