This week they were winning again when they and their mates – Josh Perry, Matt Cooper, Nathan Hindmarsh and Ian Schubert – swung through the Northern Inland on their Hogs For Homeless Tour.

Menzies, who won two NRL premierships with Manly-Warringah in a career spanning 477 first grade games, and Fittler, who also won two NRL premierships, with Penrith (1991) and Sydney Roosters (2000m) in 336 first grade games, were snapped at David Taylor Park, Werris Creek on Monday, running in a touch game with some of the juniors.

It was debatable as to who was having the more fun, the former NRL stars or their young, new Magpie mates.

The Hogs For Homeless, a charity ride for the Father Chris Riley Youth Off The Streets program, hopes to raise $300,000.

Yesterday the Hogs hit the Rocky River Public School near Uralla on their way to Inverell and meeting up with NRL community carnival ambassadors Shaun Timmins, Nathan Merritt, Mario Fenech and Andrew Ryan.

Those ambassadors had visited Ashford, Delungra, Gilgai, Bundarra and Tingha on Monday as well as running an Inverell Junior Rugby League Clinic at Kamilaroi Oval.

This morning they head to Glen Innes for some more visits before some of the ambassadors fly back to Sydney and the Hogs continue their tour to Lismore and Lennox Head.

That will leave  Ryan for a visit to Bingara and then an afternoon junior clinic at Gwydir Oval.

Ryan, the former Canterbury and State Of Origin backrower, who grew up in Narromine, is based in Newcastle now and has a dual role.

He works as a welfare officer for the Country Rugby League as well as the NRL, where he looks after five NRL clubs.