Cordner, 24, from Old Bar, will captain NSW for the first time tonight in the opening State of Origin clash against Queensland at Suncorp Stadium. Now a back rower with the Sydney Roosters, Cordner has played more than 100 NRL games as well as representing his country and State. He also won a premiership with the Roosters in 2013 and is regarded as one of the game’s elite players.

As his dad, Chris, recalled in the Times last week, Cordner started playing footy with the Old Bar under sixes when he was just four. By the time he was in high school he had come to the attention of NRL clubs, initially the Newcastle Knights before he joined the Roosters when aged 15.

The game is in his genes. Cordner’s grandfather, Joe ‘Spud’ Cordner was a tough second rower who played in the 1951 Manning League grand final for Taree Old Bar when he was just 17 – a rare feat in those days. In 1955 he was a reserve for Country Seconds in the annual clash against City played at the SCG. Spud even managed to represent Western Australia before anyone here knew they played the game there. 

A few years earlier Cordner’s great-grandfather on his mum, Lanai’s side, Ron Kelly, was a no-nonsense prop for Canterbury Bankstown’s first grade side in the 1940s, who later captain-coached extensively in the bush, including a stint with Cundletown in the then Group 18 (now Group Three) competition.

Chris Cordner beat his father’s record when he trotted out as a reserve for Taree Old Bar’s first grade side in 1978 when he was just 15. A year later he played fullback for Old Bar’s premiership-winning first grade side before being spotted by Canterbury. He played minor grades for the Bulldogs and later St George, where he captained reserve grade while he also represented North Coast against the touring Great Britain side at Wauchope in 1984 as a centre.

Lanai’s brother, Tony Dawson, was one of the stars of Chatham High School’s University Shield winning teams in 1980/81 and represented NSW Combined High Schools. A halfback or five-eighth, he also played for Taree Old Bar in the Group Three competition and in 1984, aged 19, he made his first grade debut against Wauchope, where he marked the former NSW five-eighth Rocky Laurie. Dawson was named player of the match.

He was later signed by the Illawarra Steelers, however, injury curtailed his career.

Cordner’s elder brother, Dane, now plays in the Newcastle competition. A back rower, he was named in the Australian under 15 merit side while also played at under 20 level with the Roosters and Knights.

Boyd Cordner will be NSW’s 19^th State of Origin captain. He is also the third youngest behind Brad Fittler and this year’s coach, Laurie Daley.

He is the second Manning product to captain NSW in the origin era, following Danny Buderus, who led by Blues in 15 of his 21 appearances from 2002 to 2008, and our third SOO representative, Matt Adamson being the first in 2001.