Trangie’s high-profile rugby league coach Jess Skinner was all smiles after guiding the Australian Indigenous team to a hard-fought win over the Maori All Stars in Hamilton, New Zealand on Sunday.

It was another feather in the cap of the NSW and Australian Jillaroos mentor, coming on top of last year’s World Cup win.

Jess was joined on the plane by some of the greats associated with the Western Rams flying over for the men’s game, including Josh Addo-Carr (Wellington), Jack Wighton (Orange), Jesse Ramien (Coonamble), and Connor Watson, Dubbo, while Bathurst’s Ash Klein was the head of the referees and match officials for the All Stars game.

Another Wellington product, Kotoni Staggs was not available for selection, as he is in England with the premiership-winning Brisbane Broncos for the World Club Challenge this week.

In other football news, there will also be plenty more stars in action at Mudgee this Sunday when the Manly Sea Eagles clash with South Sydney and, in a few weeks, Dubbo’s Isaiah Yeo will lead Penrith to Bathurst for their NRL Round Three match against Will Kennedy (Bathurst), Ramien, and Billy Burns (Parkes) Cronulla Sharks.