CASTLEREAGH’S Brendan Hands is quite the talent.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
He’s currently rated in the top handful of rugby league and basketball players for his age in Penrith.
Hands is in the Penrith Junior League’s under-13s development squad and the scouts even went as far as to select him as one of six juniors his age to make the Panthers Playmakers Academy.
The academy is specific for halves and the Penrith Brothers captain has spent two months training with Ivan Cleary and his coaching staff.
The 13-year-old is also in the Panthers under-14s rep basketball side and will play in the national championships in October after good performances this year. But soon he will have to choose between the two sports according to mum, Julie.
“He likes both. He’s played both since he was six and they haven’t clashed yet, but they will when he’s 16,” Julie said.
“He doesn’t know which he’ll choose, but he’s probably got more chances with football.”
Julie said her son is a natural leader and has been interested in sport from a very young age.
“I’m very proud of him, he loves it.
“He’s an all-round sportsman. As a young kid he was always outside with a ball. He was never an inside kid,” she said.
