sport, local-sport,

FORMER NRL star Jamal Idris will debut for Wingham Tigers in Saturday’s Group Three Rugby League game against Old Bar at Wingham. This will be Wingham’s annual charity day, raising funds for the Westpac Helicopter Service, the Asthma Foundation and the Cancer Council. It will be held in conjunction with the Wingham Old Boys. Idris is expected to start in the front row and he will have his first training run with the side on Friday night. The Tigers gained a clearance for Idris from his last NRL club, the Penrith Panthers earlier this week. However, Wingham treasurer Craig Martin was non-committal on whether Idris’s appearance will be a one-off or if he will be available for more matches. The Tigers currently lead the Group Three competition despite losing their first game of the season last week to Macleay Valley. Idris will link with his cousin, Thomas Dooker in the Wingham team for Saturday. The pair grew up together at Forster. Dooker is in his first year with Wingham. He was with Port City last season and Idris was reported to be interested in having a run with him at the Breakers. Idris has travelled extensively in his sabbatical from rugby league although Martin described his fitness as ‘pretty good.’ He will be at the ground from 12.30 on Saturday to meet spectators. The first grade game will start at 3.15 and Idris will attend a charity auction to be held at the Australian Hotel on Saturday evening. Martin estimates he will attract more than 300 extra patrons to the clash. Idris had stints with Canterbury, the Gold Coast and finally Penrith and represented NSW and Australia as a centre. His last game for Penrith was in 2015 although he missed most of that season after rupturing a anterior cruciate ligament.

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