If futsal teams were picked on personality alone East Maitland’s Ethan Hart, Sam Rutherford and Will Stoneman would be part of the starting side.
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“I’m going to score 10 goals tonight,” was the statement overhead at the Mercury ahead of games at Maitland Federation Centre that night. “I can feel it.”
But the cheeky trio also have ability to boot and they all impressed selectors at the recent national age championships in Sydney.
This came despite their Northern NSW team struggling with results, failing to win a match at the annual competition.
But their individual displays stood out and the will now wear the green and gold uniform of their country later this year.
The talented trifecta received invitations to tour Malaysia with an Australian under 12s squad for an international tournament in November.
For Rutherford, 11, and goalkeeper Stoneman, 12, it will be a first at this level while Hart, 11, has done it all before, travelling to the US with a similar group last year.
“That trip will definitely help me this time because I’ve done it before,” Hart said.
Rutherford, Stoneman and Hart play junior competition together at Maitland Federation Centre with their Silverbacks side two-time defending premiers.
In terms of outdoors, Rutherford and Stoneman play under 13s for the Maitland Magpies while Hart is part of the Macquarie under 12s.