The Canterbury Bulldogs have snapped up another Northland junior rugby league player, with Mason Pure due to join the club next month.
Pure will join fellow Northland NJC under-18 teammate Brendon Hikaka in the Sydney club's Jersey Flegg side next season.
"I can't wait to get over there," he said.
"Having a mate over there (Hikaka) is going to make things a lot easier when I go over on the first of November."
He said the deal had been a possibility for a few months now.
The Kaitaia player was identified by Northland NJC coach Jim Larkins, while still playing rugby, as someone who could succeed in league.
The 17 year-old was playing rugby when he was first approached by Larkins.
"He was one of the guys who I had to ask again and again to come over and play, because I knew he would prosper the best in rugby league," Larkins said.
"It took him a long time to come over but now it's all happening for him," he said.
Pure was a success in the NJC season before being brought into the Bartercard team by Northern Storm coach Geoff Morton.
He quickly got over some nerves to establish himself in the starting line-up for the Storm and was later included in the Junior Kiwi side.
Pure said he was looking forward to the Junior Kiwi's match against the New South Wales junior side this evening.
Pure played on the wing for the Junior Kiwis in their first match on Wednesday, a 44-6 win over the Warriors development squad.
"I was pretty shocked to see him on the wing but he got two tries including a runaway from halfway and showed he had the skills," Larkins said.
Kaitaia's Wiremu Ratana, Hikaka, Dargaville's Sam McKendry and another Storm player Linton Price made up a strong Northland presence in the Junior Kiwi squad.
Price was a scorer in Wednesday's match but will miss out on this evening's match because of a broken bone in his hand.
Ratana, meanwhile, will make way for some size for the big match against the NSW team.
Pure, Hikaka and McKendry will start for the Junior Kiwis this evening.
Pure will move back to inside centre for the match and said he will have to be careful during the match.
"A few of the guys in the NSW team are in my Canterbury team next year so I have to try not to cause too much trouble," he said.
The big centre said his aim in Australia is to eventually make the first grade team at Canterbury.
LEAGUE - Pure to join Hikaka at Canterbury Bulldogs
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