If winning the NSW Country under-23s and dominating the Country squad wasn't enough, 10 players from the Canberra Raiders Cup will play Samoa and Scotland in Rugby League World Cup warm-up games.
Monaro beat Newcastle 18-14 in the under-23 country championships final in Newcastle on Saturday, with West Belconnen second-rower Tori Freeman-Quay man of the match.
He was one of 10 Canberra Raiders Cup players picked in the 20-man NSW Country under-23 squad which will play against two World Cup teams in October in the lead-up to the tournament.
Woden Valley's Jack Hickson and Cleveland McGhie were also named and were missed by the Rams in their 52-12 thrashing at home against the Gungahlin Bulls.
With coach Ash Barnes taking the Monaro reins, Rams reserves coach Jason Evans was thankful for next week's bye and said they always knew the last four weeks would be tough.
They hung in the game for the first 30 minutes to only trail 12-6, but eventually the Bulls were able to capitalise on the Rams' errors to run away with it.
Woden second-rower Michael Gilmour worked tirelessly in defence, while Evans praised prop Jeff Morgan and fullback Jesse Taws.
"Today was the result of four weeks of really tough footy and the boys have been up for it, but today you could just tell there was a little bit of mental fatigue there," he said.
"We've had to endure not only the rep [players out] and not having the coach here ... coupled with an injury toll it's been a backs to the wall kind of effort for the whole club."
For Gungahlin co-coach David Howell it was a glimpse of the future that he hoped bode well in their immediate future following the bye.
He said they faced the top four in the coming weeks, but he was happy with how his halves played given it was five-eighth David Williams' first game in the role.
Raiders under-20s prop William Samuel was brilliant and his hard work was rewarded with a second-half try, while fullback and former Raider Drury Low was lively at the back and second-rower Sheen Lomax (two tries) was near unstoppable at times on the left edge.
"Will's come back from under-20s. He played with us probably three years ago and they sent him back to get some match fitness and he proved that he's a quality player and should be in the 20s," Howell said.
"Young Davie's going to be really good for us, he's going to be the future of the club. He really stood up defensively today, didn't look out of place. He's just a natural footballer."
In other games, the Yass Magpies beat Goulburn 34-22 and the Queanbeyan Blues kept their unbeaten season going with a 34-12 victory over Tuggeranong.
AT A GLANCE
CANBERRA RAIDERS CUP ROUND NINE
Gungahlin Bulls 52 (S. Lomax 2, K. Allan 2, S. Bramich, D. Cooper-Shields, D. Low, D. Williams, W. Samuel tries; D. Keir 8 goals) bt Woden Valley Rams 12 (K. Posantzis, J. Taws tries; C. Johnson 2 goals)
Yass Magpies 34 (J Vatikani 2, K Danilzcak, S Davis, Benny Warner, J Collins tries; S Davis 5 goals) bt Goulburn Workers Bulldogs 22 (N Cornish, C Hart, D Stephens, J Berthelot tries; C Hart 2, B Hewitt goals)
Queanbeyan Blues 34 (No scorers provided) bt Tuggeranong Bushrangers 12 (W Tauti, Q Cannon tries; J Mitchell 2 goals)
MEN'S U23 COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Monaro 18 (C. Mcghie, T. Freeman-Quay, R. Thomas tries; J. Baker 3 goals) bt Newcastle Rebels 14 (S. Keenan 2, J. Gagai tries; S. Keenan goal). Player of the Match: Tori Freeman-Quay, Monaro (West Belconnen).
Country team: 1. Jamie Ghoulmieh (Lakes United), 2. Jed Simbikin (Queanbeyan Kangaroos), 3. Ryley Thomas (West Belconnen), 4. Jacob Gagai (Lakes United), 5. William Tom (Western Suburbs Illawarra), 6. Kouri Apouri (Wyong), 7. Jack Hickson (Woden Valley), 8. Roman Fepuleai (South Newcastle), 9. Kruz Tupou (Yass), 10. Mitch Shaw (West Belconnen), 11. Jake Lawrence (South Newcastle), 12. Tori Freeman (West Belconnen), 13. Josh Baker (Queanbeyan United), 14. Lincon Smith (Maitland), 15. Brett Solomon (Tuggeranong), 16. Luke Higgins (South Newcastle), 17. Jarrod Smith (Maitland), 18. Sam Kennan (West Newcastle), 19. Cleveland McGhie (Woden Valley), 20. Jake Wheeler (Queanbeyan United). Coach: Josh Cale.