The 30-year-old was born and raised in Manilla. At 17, he moved to the Central Coast to pursue a boilermaking apprenticeship, but always knew he would return to his roots in the North West.

Fletcher eventually did so in 2016, where the lifelong rugby league player then connected with the Boggabri Kangaroos.

After three seasons with them, he moved across to the Gunnedah Bulldogs in 2019. But this year, he re-signed with his former club.

Once again, family was at the core of his decision.

"It's a real good club," Fletcher said.

"A really friendly, family-orientated club. That's the main thing, because I've got a little daughter as well, so I can take her over to football and she can run around with all the other kids there. It makes it nice and easy."

His daughter, Aubrey, is two and a half years old. She is her father's biggest fan, and watches him play every weekend. Having her there by his side, Fletcher said, "makes you want to play a bit harder".

The impact she has had on Fletcher's life is profound. When she was born, he said, "it changed everything".

"Life is a bit different when you've got someone looking up to you," he said.

"It changed how I looked at life, it settled me down and made me focus on footy now."

A farmer by trade, Fletcher lives and works on the Carroll property just outside Gunnedah.

It's a bit of a commute to Boggabri for training and playing, but his work is flexible and he will "be there every weekend" for the Kangaroos, whom he hopes to help through to a premiership.

In fact, the centre said, the club's growth and competitiveness was a big part of the reason he returned.

"I'm good mates with a few of the boys at Boggabri, and they were into me to come back," Fletcher said.

"I'll stay there now for a few seasons, hopefully we can get a premiership. That's what we all want."

Now in his 30s, with a daughter and a physically demanding job, Fletcher is at a stage in life where many might start thinking about how much longer they have left in the game.

But his body has held up well so far, and he sees no end in sight yet.

"I'm still feeling pretty healthy and all that," Fletcher said.

"I'll keep playing until I start knocking up [some injuries] ... I would like to get a premiership before I stop playing."

Given the ever-increasing promise Boggabri have shown in recent seasons, that looks distinctly possible.

And, Kangaroos coach Shane Rampling believes, Fletcher's presence will only improve the team's prospects when their season gets underway on April 6 against the North Tamworth Bears at Gunnedah's Kitchener Park.

"He's [slotting in] really well," Rampling said.

"He played for us a couple of years ago and knows the boys pretty well. He's a big, strong, hard runner of the ball and brings a bit of aggression."