Considering he’s a former junior Wallaby, donned a NSW Country Eagles jersey in the National Rugby Championship and skippered Randwick’s Instrust Super Shute Shield outfit as recently as 2016, that was always going to be the case.

But Baldwin, the lone Dubbo-based player in the squad, insists he’s far from the Blue Bulls’ most talented player and is urging his teammates to take their chance in the spotlight at this weekend’s NSW Country Rugby Union Championship at Warren.

“In my experiences so far, there’s a lot of talented players out here,” he said, having linked up with the Kangaroos this season after moving to Dubbo midway through last year.

“In Sydney you’re under people’s eyes more and I feel for some of the blokes out here who don’t get seen because they’re really talented, more talented than I am.

“It’s a shame they don’t get looked at more.”

Baldwin’s been wildly impressed with the standard of Central West’s Blowes Clothing Cup since linking with Roos, and that gives him plenty of hope for his side’s Caldwell Cup chances.

Not that he was expecting to be in the side at all, nonetheless he said he’s “really humbled” to get the chance to represent the region and work under coach Dean Oxley, whom he’s known for a number of years.

“It’s not about me, Dean has pulled everyone together,” he said.

“If I can add a little something to the team then it’s a bonus.”

The Blues Bulls are chasing their first top tier win since 2014 – Central West won the colts Rowlands Cup that year too – and Oxley’s done everything in his power to have the outfit well-prepared.

Of course, like any representative team with such an expansive catchment, there’s been challenges but Baldwin says momentum has been steadily building.

“It’s been pretty disjointed, we’ve been training every second Sunday and it’s been hard to get that continuity,” the red-headed breakaway said.

“It was a bit skinny early but the last few weeks we’ve been getting some extra squad members there and things are looking good and strong heading into the championship.”

Baldwin, named at flanker, will be part of a powerful forward pack at Warren and while he said there’s “oodles of talent” throughout the squad he, unsurprisingly, said the classy Mahe Fangupo has been a standout in the build-up.

The Forbes man will move into the No.10 jersey this weekend and Baldwin described him as an “excellent player”.

The Blue Bulls begin their campaign at 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon, taking on Newcastle-Hunter.