Since the birth of the Armidale Rams in 2005, one man has been a permanent fixture on the field for the club.
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Laurie Craig has been in the blue and green since the YCW Blue Heelers and the Galloping Greens joined forces to form the Rams. The front rower will notch up his 100th game for the club this Sunday when they take on Glen Innes.
Craig has led the way for the Rams forward pack for the last 13 years with his barnstorming runs and said the goal he sets himself each week is simple.
“Just what I have to do – hit it up forward and do what I need to do,” he said.
“I take care of the forward part and everyone else can take care of the rest.”
The inspirational forward is set to farewell the sport at the end of the season and hopes he set the standard for anyone who follows in his footsteps at the club.
“Probably respect more than anything and hopefully they see how I am doing it and follow it,” he said.
“Just stick to it and commit.”
Rams coach Steve Ware arrived at the club this year and it didn’t take him long to realise the impact Craig has on the playing group.
“I take my hat off to him because he plays 80 minutes when we are short of troops and he just keeps plugging along,” Ware said.
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“He is a unit, that is for sure. He has been one of the standouts for us this year and these young fellas need to take a leaf out of his book.
“Him and Jake Scurr are nearly our players' player each week before Jake got injured.”
This Sunday you can bet Craig will be charging on to the ball for the Rams’ first hit up against the fourth-placed Magpies.
The Glen Innes side are coming off a 28-26 win over the previous week’s ladder leaders, the Moree Boars.
Ware won’t be available for the clash but said his side know they are in for a tough encounter.
“They are coming off a really big high,” he said.
“The last time we played them we only had 13 men so we are looking to get a full team ahead of this weekend's game.”
The Rams are an outside chance of making the semi-finals but Ware is hoping they can make an impact on the competition in the back half of the year.
“Our players need to stick by each other,” he said.
“I just hope the boys stick tight and finish off strong.
“We have won two games more than any other year for the last couple of years so it is still positive.”
Since Ware arrived, he has been trying to implement a positive on-field culture at the club.
“One thing I have noticed at the Rams is they are so used to not winning and that is one thing I am trying to change,” he said.
“I have to remember these guys haven't won for two years. It is about developing them, and teaching them. I am learning as well because I have never been in this situation before.”