John Porch was back where it all began on Thursday as the search for indigenous sevens stars hit Tamworth.
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The former Farrer, and Australian men's sevens, star joined members of Rugby Australia's high performance team, as well as current national women's squad member Demi Hayes, and former Commonwealth Games sevens representative Brendan Williams, in putting around 20 youngsters through their paces as part of the DreamBigTime tour.
The initiative aims to unearth indigenous talent in remote and rural communities with the long-term goal to see at least two players feature in the Australian Sevens squads at the 2024 Olympics.
Playing for Tamworth (Magpies) and Moree in his junior days, Porch said it "was a bit weird being back at a rivals ground" with the clinic held at Ken Chillingworth Oval.
"[But] It's good to be back Tamworth, getting back amongst the community and giving back to where it sort of all began for me," he said.
He was also involved in the first leg of the tour last month, and as "a proud indigenous man" himself, said it is an "amazing initiative".
"To get out into these rural communities where there is so much unearthed indigenous talent that can provide so much to the game of sevens in both the women's and men's is absolutely incredible," Porch said.
"It's unbelievable what sort of talent and skills they can bring into a game like sevens where there is so much open space for them to showcase their potential."
Case in point, Aussie sevens speedster Maurice Longbottom.
"I hate training with him and against him because you just don't know where he's going," he said.
"His feet are absolutely lightning and his speed off the mark is incredible."
Former Australian men's sevens assistant coach Jarred Hodges is leading the tour, which also stopped at Moree, Inverell and Armidale on Wednesday, and said the response has been "beyond our belief".
He gave the example of the clinic in Armidale on Wednesday night.
"It might have been about three degrees and we had 40 participants," he said.
Following the third leg of the tour, 130 players will be selected to attend a four-day camp, from which two squads of 20 will be chosen to represent the First Nations in a series of tournaments.
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On what he has seen so far Hodges anticipates a few headaches.
"It won't be an easy process," he said.
"Through this process we'll test over 1200 participants. We've already tested in excess of 650 and the list of potential talent moving through to the national camp is already starting to build up."
"Only a couple of days ago we were in Goondiwindi and we had a gentleman run 4.77(secs) over the 40(m), which would make him the fastest player in our current men's program."
But it isn't just the physical attributes that they are looking at.
"Part of what we're doing is looking to asses an individual's character. Because character plays a vital role in going forward into those higher honours," Hodges said.
"So we're looking for those people who are determined, are resilient and have a thirst for learning."
