Nathan Hindmarsh, Boyd Cordner, Steve Menzies visit flood-ravaged Lismore

When one of the most diehard rugby league regions of NSW was smashed by flood, a few ex-NRL stars got on the phone to help straight away. Here is what they did.

The Northern Rivers is one of the most diehard rugby league regions in NSW boasting dozens of community clubs and thousands of players.

Nathan Hindmarsh and Boyd Cordner have joined other NRL greats to provide support to the Northern Rivers Picture: Nicholas Rupolo.

Walking along the streets of Lismore, Tweed Heads or Grafton you’ll find Parramatta Eels, Brisbane Broncos or Wests Tigers flags popping up out of houses and car windows.

More than 30 senior and junior rugby league clubs have been impacted by the floods, some with tens of thousands of dollars in damages.

When it was confirmed as the region’s worst flood in history, ex-NRL stars got on the phone to ask what they could do to help.

Before you knew it former NRL great Boyd Cordner, Nathan Hindmarsh and Steve Menzies were unloading bags of supplies and providing support to the community at Lismore Showgrounds.

Manly Sea Eagles legend Steve Menzies joined Cordner and Hindmarsh in Lismore Picture: Nicholas Rupolo.

Taree-born Sydney Roosters legend Boyd Cordner says he was devastated to see the impact of the floods and as a Group 3 product he wanted to do as much as he could.

“It started with Nathan (Hindmarsh) - he got on the phone to NSWRL and to all of us and said boys let’s go and see what can we do to help,” Mr Cordner said.

“We know what we are doing here won’t solve everything but it’s the least we can do.”

“We were more than happy to give up some time because we’ve heard the stories of the community pulling together, I grew up in a country town too; it’s such an important part of the recovery.”

Boyd Cordner grew up in Taree and is used to seeing natural disasters play out in Northern NSW Picture: Nicholas Rupolo.

Nathan Hindmarsh looked at home among the sprawling sets of fans waiting in line for pictures and autographs and understood that even to give families something to smile about is incredibly powerful.

The Eels legend knew rugby league was an important part of life for the Northern Rivers.

“Being from a small country town myself I jumped at the chance to come up and support the local community,” he said.

New South Wales Rugby League have confirmed that the NSW Blues Origin team will visit Lismore on July 5 for an open training session and fundraiser before playing Queensland.

Nathan Hindmarsh picked up the phone to NSWRL to immediately see what kind of support they could provide Picture: Nicholas Rupolo.

The communities of the Northern Rivers weren’t surprised to see the sporting and rugby league clubs of the region doing everything they could to aid in the recovery.

Trial matches are set to begin on March 19 for Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League and Group 2 sides with many putting on gold-coin donations to go towards clubs being able to repair clubhouses and pitches.

The leagues have also received cash support from New South Wales Rugby League a flood relief package worth $600,000.

The package includes a $300,000 fund to replace items including jerseys, shorts, socks, footballs, tackle pads and goalposts.

The total cost of insurance of all clubs in the affected areas is worth an estimated $217,380