State of Origin 2024: Three NSW Blues stars hail from small town of Temora

There’s something in the water in Temora. The small NSW town has a population of only around 4000 people, but will add another chapter to its proud rugby league history on Wednesday night.

Temora boys Zac Lomax and Liam Martin together in NSW Blues camp. Picture: Rohan Kelly

If the NSW Origin team is the yardstick, bush footy is alive and kicking.

In particular, the small Riverina town of Temora, which is famous for rolling paddocks, Nixon Park and producing State of Origin players.

For a population of only 4000, Temora has always punched above its weight.

And on Wednesday night, Zac Lomax etches another proud chapter in the town’s heaving history books.

The Dragons centre will make his State of Origin debut in front of 80,000 fans at Accor Stadium, alongside fellow Temora products Liam Martin and Angus Crichton.

Temora boys Zac Lomax and Liam Martin together in NSW Blues camp. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“I’ve known him pretty much our whole lives growing up, he’s a couple of years younger so I haven’t played too much footy with him but I played with his older brother Hayden, who was a good footballer as well,” Martin said of Lomax.

“I know the family quite well, they’re lovely people, and I’m so happy for him to get his chance here.

“He thoroughly deserves it. The way he’s played the start of the year, I’m keen to get out there and play with him.

“Angus moved away to a boarding school when he was quite young, but he’s another one born in Temora hospital, grew up between Temora and Young, so we claim him.

“It brings our little community together.”

Martin in his junior days with the Temora Dragons. Picture: Temora Dragons Facebook

LONG LEGACY

The trio add to a remarkable list of NRL players to come out of the town.

Eels interim coach and former NSW half Trent Barrett is one of the biggest names, but Cowboys coach Todd Payten, Storm assistant and premiership-winner Ryan Hinchcliffe and Bulldogs stalwart Steve Reardon round off the list.

Former Raiders and Dragons halfback Josh McCrone is captain coach of the Temora Dragons in the local Group 9 competition, while Titans forward Joe Stimson is the other current NRL player from the town aside from the Origin trio.

“It’s incredible when you go through the list … Todd Payten, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Josh McCrone, it’s phenomenal the amount of rugby league players who have come out of there,” Martin says.

It says something that Temora has the biggest representation of any area in the current state team, which has a large contingent of players from regional NSW.

As well as Lomax, Martin and Crichton, Nicho Hynes (Gosford), Reece Robson (Murwillumbah), Isaah Yeo (Dubbo) and Hudson Young (Maitland) all had to move to the city to chase their dreams.

Former Raiders playmaker Josh McCrone playing for the Temora Dragons. Credit: Facebook.

PROTECT THE BUSH

There’s no obvious answer to Temora’s success either, other than everyone in town is involved in sport in some way.

It’s not part of the culture, it is the culture.

“I don’t really know,” Barrett says. He’s Martin’s first cousin, and also related to Hawthorn forward Luke Breust.

“There wasn’t a hell of a lot to do when we were growing up so it’s a really good sporting town, and we get a hell of a lot of support. We’ve got good facilities there.

“To have three in the Origin side at the moment, and there’s Todd coaching, I’m coaching, Matty Ford as well, he played lower grades at Canberra he’s the footy manager at the Raiders.

“It’s a fair effort, because there’s only about 4000 people there.”

Nixon Park, the local sporting ground, has an Aussie rules oval as well as a rugby league field, netball courts and cricket pitch. Year round, most families in town are there Saturday and Sunday.

“The town is certainly developing some talent,” Barrett continues.

“There’s a little bit more competition out there now from AFL and rugby union, which we didn’t have years ago.

“The talent is spread a bit thinner, but I’d like to think the pathway is still there for kids to come through. We’ve got another Temora boy in Charlie Guymer here at Parramatta (under 19s NSW Origin player), and he’s a good chance of playing first grade this year as well, so that’s another one.”

Reardon’s son Jed is also coming through the Bulldogs system.

From a coaching perspective, Barrett wants the pathway from the bush to the NRL to be nurtured.

“We’ve still got some really tough, athletic kids out in country areas and it would be a shame if the game went away from it because there’s some good kids out there,” he said.

“A lot of the towns are struggling for numbers at the moment, but that’s the same across the country regions in general which is a bit of a shame.

“I think it’s important that the NRL and NSWRL look after those areas, because while we’re producing these players, and three from the one town is proof they’re coming through, we have to look after them.”