LEETON'S Tallis McMillan pulled no punches when explaining what he enjoys most about Australian Rules Football.
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The budding star has been selected in the NSW side to play at the School Sport Australia national championships in Perth and it's his love of the contact aspects of Aussie Rules that most appeals to the Parkview Public School student.
"I love smashing the other players," Tallis said.
"I like everything about footy."
Tallis has been catching the eye of selectors for some time when it comes to the team.
Last year he was chosen in the Riverina side that played at the NSW PSSA competition and was unfortunate not to be chosen to represent his state then.
However, 2019 was his year as he again made the Riverina team before successfully being announced in the NSW squad, which will now take on others from throughout the country at the competition.
"I was pretty excited when I was selected," Tallis said.
"We go to Sydney on Wednesday, then we meet up with the team and go to the SCG (for a jumper presentation.
"From Sydney we fly to Perth.
"We start playing on the Sunday (August 4)."
Tallis was only one of three from the Riverina team to be chosen for the state side.
He follows in the footsteps of fellow Parkview alumni James Rourke and Riley Bradshaw, who were also selected in recent years.
"I think it's going to be pretty hard ... Victoria will be probably the toughest," Tallis said.
"I usually play in the midfield (with the under 13s Leeton-Whitton Crows).
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"At the training camp in Barooga (during the school holidays), I played forward and in the midfield.
"I'm looking forward to playing Victoria, just to see what they are like.
"Hopefully we go alright."
Playing Aussie Rules professionally one day is a dream for the Essendon Bombers fan, but for now he's firmly focused on playing to the best of his ability during the upcoming championships.
"Hopefully we go alright during the comp," Tallis said.
"It's good because you also get to make new friends too."
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