Pride quartet stars
MORE representative honours could be heading the way of Northern Pride players after they acquitted themselves well in Queensland Country's 25-18 win against City at the weekend.
Country coach Paul Green said he had been happy with the performance of all four Pride players - Scott Bolton, Ben Vaeau, Alex Starmer and Josh Vaughan - in the match at Clermont in which Queensland Residents jerseys were on the line.
Green praised the role his forwards played in the win, saying starting front-rower Bolton had been very good with Vaeau making a big difference when he was injected off the bench.
He also praised Starmer's role off the bench and that of winger Vaughan.
While the former Brisbane Bronco said contestants were "all good players at this level", he predicted Country would be well represented in the Queensland Residents team to be named today.
"Obviously, the way we won the game and how it was played paced the way for (further) representative selection," Green said.
Queensland Residents play their New South Wales counterparts in a curtain raiser to next week's State of Origin II at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
Starmer said yesterday his fellow Pride players could be in line for further selection honours but was playing down his own chances, still finding his Country selection surreal.
A Cairns District Rugby League player with Ivanhoes last season before the Pride's formation, Starmer said his rise had been swift.
"Last year, I was only playing local league and scrapping around with the boys," the 22-year-old second-rower said.
The fun-loving Starmer has been enjoying every minute of his journey and said he would incorporate what he had learned over the past week in camp with Country into his club game.
Country 25 (Adam Fielder, Brad Davis, Josh Lewis, Selasi Berdie tries; Nick Parfitt 2, Brad Davis 2 goals, Josh Lewis field goal) d City 18 (Kane Manihera, Matt Lockyer, Adam Brideson tries; Marty Turner 3 goals).
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Starmer: Fun-loving quiet achiever.

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