This program is a joint venture in which the academy works closely with the Newcastle Knights and Western Suburbs (Newcastle) Leagues Club in order to present a first class program of activities for those selected in the squad.

The Knights strategic development manager Keith Onslow is the program co-ordinator and the members of the coaching staff are Ian Thompson (coach), Ben Young (assistant coach), Gerald Bradshaw (assistant coach), Luke Dureau (coach in training), Greg Edwards (manager), Greg Campbell (trainer), Rick Ryan (trainer), Sharon Lo Monaco (trainer) and Justin Ryder (conditioner/trainer).

Regular Monday night training sessions at Hexham Oval will form the basis of the squad’s program and will be interspersed with squad games against other academy and development squads.

Training dates to the end of June are March 15, March 29, March 31, May 3, May 17, June 7 and June 21.

The selected squad members are Pratik Ahuja, Jacob Bailey, Shane Beale, Chad Chandler, Will Clarke, Daniel Curtis, James Elias, Jackson Hill, Blake Jennings, Daniel King, Sam Lindsay, Luke la Monaco, Jake McMurray, Josh Morrison, Chris Nagy, Dylan Nilsson, Ned Nissen, Shay Padberg, Jayden Rosberg, Tom Rousem Pierson Smyczynski, Jason Savin, Felise Taufaao, Jack Underwood, Napolean Utai, Luke Vernon and Ryan Wood.

The squad will be travelling to Nyngan at Easter to again play in the Academies Rugby League Challenge. Matches in this challenge will be played on Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4.

The Hunter Academy of Sport archery talent development squad is continuing with its busy program of regular training sessions (on Monday evenings at the Gosford Showground) and on Tuesday evenings (at Maitland Showground) and involvement in various competitions (mainly during weekends).

Recently the squad was at MacLeay Valley Archers Venue at Kempsey for a competition, and later this month (March 20 to 21) the Hunter Academy squad members will be participating in an ABA Branch Competition at the Hunter Bowmen Venue at East Maitland.

Husband and wife team, Peter and Lynne Fairhall along with Lou Knez do a wonderful job in co-ordinating this Hunter Academy archery program and form a very dedicated and knowledgeable team of squad coaches.

The members of the 2010 Academy archery squad include Tiarne Morrissey (Belmont North), Laura Salter (Edgeworth) and Jarrod Morrissey (Belmont North).