Back in January 2015 league great Danny Buderus said he was 'humbled' when a field was named in his honour at Taree Recreation Centre.
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He started playing rugby league at the rec grounds - he lived just across the road when he was young. From there he carved out a career that saw him captain his country and State, play a record number of games with the Newcastle Knights and win the Dally M player of the year.
"I've got a field named after me. That's awesome,'' Buderus said at the ceremony to officially name the field.
Buderus was back at the rec centre this week running a coaching clinic for juniors. He was shocked to see the state of the field that now carries his name and the deterioration of the grounds generally.
All the rugby league fields are in a poor state because of the drought. The ground is rough and uneven and pocked by bare patches. Whatever remedial measures undertaken by council haven't had much of an impact.
"I might have to come back up here and get a little bit done,'' Buderus said, half joking.
"I've got someone who might actually do that for me - I'll have to ask the council if that's okay.''
He was urged by a couple of bystanders to skip council and just get the job done.
"On the Hogs for Homeless Tours we go on we've re-turfed Walgett Sports Ground, re-turfed Wellington and we re-turfed a school last year.
"We might have to come up here and do this one.''
The Hogs for Homess Tours are the brainchild of NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler under the banner of the NSW Foundation. Fittler leads a team of former NSW State of Origin players around regional NSW to raise funds for Father Chris Riley's Youth off the Streets as well as perform community work.
The fields need a massive injection of funds, chairman of the Taree Recreation Centre User Groups, Craig Colvin said. He added measures must be taken to ensure the fields can be protected by the vagaries of the weather, whether it be drought or flood.
He spoke to Buderus this week about the problem, hoping to secure his assistance to secure much-needed funding.