For George and Ollie Connaughton, their trips down to Sydney are about much more than just rugby.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The father and son combination have been helping out the NSW Waratahs together since 2015, with dad George starting three years before that.
But for the Orange City duo, the love of the game goes back much further than that.
But George's willingness to throw his hat in the ring started well before then.
"I started off with Central West Rugby and also NSW Country Rugby in 1999 as a team manager for both team. It's been a few years for sure." George said.
"I worked for about four years with Central West and Country together and then it got a little bit too tricky so I passed on the Central West side of it and concentrated on the Country NSW stuff.
"That went on for about 12 years and then the Waratahs kicked over from there. So from club rep stuff to state stuff has been a bit of a stepping stone."
Since George started helping out with the club, neither he nor Ollie have a missed a 'Tahs home game in the nine years since.
"I enjoy the happiness it brings my son Oliver," George added.
"He enjoys being part of the team and all that sought of stuff. They've taken him in as one of their own and he's no stranger in the change room.
"He knows them all on a first name basis and they're all chatting away on Snapchat so he's got them all covered on social media, so that's probably one aspect of why I do it.
"But it's also just being able to give back. I've always been involved in rugby, so just to give back a little bit, those are a couple of the main things."
For Ollie, the feeling of pride is no different when he gets to rub shoulders with some of the best players in the nation.
"It's good getting out and going to all the stadiums," he said.
"I usually get a sneaky photo of every changeroom and put it on Instagram. All my friends get a bit jealous, so makes me feel good."
That Orange connection can also be felt in the form of Jack Grant, who featured in the Waratahs' 59-23 loss to the Highlanders over the weekend.
Prior to the match, Ollie gifted the former Orange City Lions junior with a jersey and pair of socks from his boyhood club.
"We're warming up in these tonight and I'll be playing in these socks," Grant said prior to the weekend's game.
"I'm pretty proud to represent Orange City."
For George, the trip down to Sydney every other week used to be a whole family occasion.
Now with it just being him and Ollie making the journey most of the time, it gives him a bit of time to sit back and reflect.
"The driving down and back, I have a landscaping business here in Orange and it's a little bit of good down time for me. I can get a bit of thinking done, a little reinventing of the wheel when I'm going down," he said.
"We'd all go down at one point and sit in behind the bench while I did my match day stuff, then often have a beer in the changeroom with the boys.
"Now I'm happy to just stay in Sydney overnight and grab a motel or sometimes drive straight home and get back at about 2 or 3 in the morning, whatever I feel like doing at the time, I just play it by the day."
The pair's responsibilities can range from your obscure behind the scenes work, to making sure the field itself is up to scratch.
"Oliver's role is to assist myself and the matchday managers. So we're sought of on the operations and running of the side-line side of things.
"We set up the side-line where all the medical, and substitutes need to sit. They've all got to be in their correct spot. I liaise with the visiting team's liaison officer and if they need anything we will make it happen for those guys. If they want extra ice or a carton of beer, 50 hamburgers or sushi, whatever they need."
Nine years is a long time to do anything. But still, after all this time and all those matchdays, George can't imagine what it would be like without their trips to the city.
"I haven't even given it a thought," he said of when he might call it a day.
"Each year we just front up and do what we do. Oliver I know wants to pursue a rugby career so he might find himself in Sydney one day playing club rugby and hopefully and possibly in his eyes might find himself on the other side of the field, playing for the actual team.
"I know he is desperately keen to be involved as a player at club and state level. He might even be able to do sport management or matchday management. There's plenty of opportunities."
The team itself has had an awful run of form this year, having lost all 12 games so far and face the prospect of a winless season if they can't get up over the Chiefs this Saturday.
But while some good results on the field would be welcomed with open arms from George, that isn't the reason he does what he does.
"Seeing the smile on Ollie's face is fairly paramount," he said.
"There's nothing better than your children enjoying themselves, so that first and foremost is one of the main things.
"A couple of times I've thought my business is keeping me too busy to actually do this job, but Oliver keeps reassuring me that I've got time. So funnily enough we find the time."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.centralwesterndaily.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Catch up on our news headlines at Google News