Following a proud tradition from the bush to the big smoke

St Gregory’s College has long been a nursery for bush footy stars and their current crop of NRL Schoolboys are on track to add their names to the honour roll alongside the likes of Trent Barrett, Adam Elliott and Joe Stimson.

While many of their Peter Mulholland Cup rivals are city kids who have been playing footy together for years, the boys from St Gregory’s come from far and wide to give themselves the best opportunity to make it in the NRL.

With a Reardon from Temora, a Wighton from Lucknow and a Croker from Crookwell, there’s no shortage of rugby league pedigree in the St Gregory’s side set to clash with Bass High on Friday.

All determined to carve their own path to the NRL and overcome the challenges that come with growing up in the bush.

Before moving to St Gregory’s, Bulldogs academy member Jed Reardon’s weeks consisted of driving a 6-hour round trip with his dad Steve three times a week to play representative football.

Content with life on the farm in Temora, the 18-year-old lock conceded he needed the push to commit to boarding school in Year 12 but knows opportunities are endless living in Gregory Hills.

Reardon plays SG Ball for the Bulldogs and is proudly donning the sky blue and maroon of St Gregory's while completing his HSC.

“I think I was a bit nervous to come to the city and move away from home but my family really encouraged me to come here,” Reardon told pan66.com.

“My older brother and my dad never went away so I was pretty comfortable in Temora and was a bit scared of change I suppose.

“Last year I was travelling five hours to training and back three times a week so it’s a lot easier on my family being here now.

“I didn’t know much about the Schoolboys competition as there’s nothing really like it in Temora.

“But the culture behind it has been pretty amazing as the whole school gets behind it and you're playing against some really quality teams so I've learnt a lot as a footy player also."

Reardon doesn’t have to look far for role models with dad Steve playing 163 games for the Bulldogs and fellow Temora Dragon juniors Zac Lomax (Dragons), Liam Martin (Panthers) and Joe Stimson (Titans) all doing the Riverina proud.

“We’ve got lots of players to look up to from Temora who have done it before to show that you can make it if you are from the bush and obviously my Dad as well,” said Reardon, who hopes to be a PE teacher and play for the Bulldogs.

“Dad played a while ago now but it is a bit of pressure. But I guess I just want to try and make my own name and put the hard work in, whatever I do.

“I’d like to give footy a crack next year that’s probably my biggest focus but I’m also interested in going down a path of PE teaching so I’d love to work in a school as a teacher’s aide to see what that’s like.

“It’s a school-first mentality here so they give you all the support and everything you want for school and they also back you up for your footy commitments and get you to training and wherever you need to be for that.

“We’ve got three hours of study each night but it’s good because you can get into a routine and it’s a big commitment for my parents to send me here so I want to make the most of it.”

Teammate James Croker has also made the move to Campbelltown and is soaking up every minute in the prestigious St Greg’s jersey ahead of what could be their final game against Bass High on Friday.

Watching his older brother Lachlan celebrate 100 NRL games at WIN Stadium last Saturday, James said the occasion “lit a fire” in his belly to one day reach the same milestone.

After arriving at St Gregory’s in Year 9, Croker said homesickness got the better of him but after a year back home, the Year 11 student said he only needs to look on the honours board to know he's in the right place to follow his dreams.

“I was just so proud of Lachlan, after all the hard work he really deserved it. It really did light a fire in me. I’m really determined to do what he’s done and work as hard as him,” Croker said.

“In Year 10 I went to Trinity in Goulburn. To get to school I caught a 90-minute bus so it was three hours to get to school and back every day.

“Lachie went to Trinity. So that was hard because all the boys had their experience in Goulburn so going off to Sydney was pretty daunting.

“But I realised everything was here for me.”

Having played at fullback for the Raiders’ Harold Matthews team earlier in the year, the 17-year-old is proof the Croker rugby league gene is still running strong in the upper Lachlan Shire.

The opportunity to pit his skills against Sydney’s most promising schoolboy talent is one Croker has relished.

“Schoolboys is definitely up there in one of the best footy teams I’ve played in. Just having the whole school behind you and living with half of your teammates is a pretty cool experience,” Croker told pan66.com.

“When we ran down the stairs for our home game the Year 12s were chanting the entrance war cry. It was awesome.

“It’s so cool knowing that all the players have been here and done it before us and you could possibly follow in their footsteps one day.”