Jake Turpin reckons he didn't have to buy a beer last time he wandered into the Sundowner Saloon in Haigslea.
Fair enough when he'd been told he might never return to rugby league after breaking "pretty much every single bone" in his ankle.
Turpin has been Brisbane's silver lining from the sticks since Andrew McCullough went down with a knee injury at training, the knockabout back-up hooker making the most of his long-awaited crack at the NRL's big time.
Hailing from Haigslea – "one pub, a few hundred people at most and that's about it" – and one of Queensland harness racing's most prosperous families, Turpin's has been a well-received rise an hour west of Brisbane.
It’s also been a while coming.
Turpin was among the last players unearthed by former Storm recruitment manager Darren Bell – whose signings include Jesse Bromwich and Tohu Harris – before the popular scout suffered a massive heart attack in 2011.
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Warriors v Broncos - Round 11
Now 22, Turpin stared down rugby league oblivion during the last of his seven years in the Melbourne system, a badly broken ankle ending his apprenticeship under Cameron Smith without a game of first grade.
“I say this to anyone who listens,” Turpin tells NRL.com.
“If I didn't go to Melbourne I wouldn't be where I am or the player I am now. They instilled a lot in me.
“I was playing for Sunny Coast and did my ankle pretty badly. That kept me out for six months, it was a rough break.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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Designed by Elaine Chambers-Hegarty, the Broncos’ Indigenous Round jersey features eye-catching artwork which represents growth and new beginnings as 13 players unite as one at the gathering place of the Broncos’ home ground. All of the club’s current Indigenous players are represented through the illustration of their animal totem symbolising their connection to Indigenous culture.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The theme and design of the Bulldogs’ Indigenous Round jersey is reconciliation, which is what Indigenous round is all about. Reconciliation promotes understanding, recognition and most importantly education. The jersey displays meeting places and tracks leading to each other and this represents what we are working towards as a community today - everyone being connected, working towards the same goal. The three hand prints represent the club’s Aboriginal players Adam Elliott, Chris Smith and Reimis Smith.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The Raiders’ Indigenous jersey is a celebration of diversity and reconciliation. The artwork uses hand-prints to illustrate cultural diversity within the Ngunnawal region. Various artistic styles are demonstrated throughout the artwork, a result of community collaboration. By involving the community and Indigenous students engaged in the NRL School-to-Work program, artist Lynnice created a free flowing design. The path to reconciliation is a collaborative, accepting and an ongoing journey. This work aims to demonstrate how learning, interaction and respect work to create a free-flowing and engaged community.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The meaning of the logo is about opportunity, relationships and respect. It’s about a world that has three hands and three lightning bolts. The hands represent respect for one another and life’s opportunities. The Storm bolts represent relationships and strong links to our community and cultural respect. The image represents power and determination to reach goals, to trust, to feel safe and fulfilled with positive connections. The logo in the middle represents the Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club, while the outer circles are the broader communities that Melbourne Storm are reaching through its various programs. The four colours represent the four seasons, representing diversity and change. The shields represent strength and resilience.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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Manly are honouring Sea Eagles great Cliff Lyons to celebrate Indigenous Round. The grey circles represent each team that Cliff has played for, from his first team as a junior, right up to playing for Australia. The lizard is very significant to the design. Down the back sides of the lizard there are blue stripes (representing his Origin for NSW) and on those stripes there are black dots, five on one side and six on the other as a representation for how many goals and field goals he kicked in his career with Manly. The lizard's back legs display 80 dots for the tries he scored, while the front legs feature 120 dots, Cliff's Hall of Fame number.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The Knights’ Indigenous Round jersey was designed by past and present Knights players including Ashley Gordon, Owen Craigie, Timana Tahu and Connor Watson. Each player contributed a piece of their history to local Indigenous artist Elise Randell from non-for-profit agency Justiz, who painted the artwork that makes up the foundations of the jersey design. A backdrop of blue and green represents salt water and fresh water. The white raised dots are representative of family and community from their place of origin and local Aboriginal community ties. The top right represents Ashley Gordon, the bottom right represents Timana Tahu, the bottom left represents Owen Craigie and the top left represents Connor Watson.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The winning design by Beau Pennefather Motlop from Cairns is titled ‘same but different’. The Torres Strait head dress and Aboriginal shield represent courage. The two hands, one black, one white, represent integrity and honesty. They are also a representation of unity and equality. The Torres Strait drum and Aboriginal didgeridoo represent our commitment to keeping Indigenous culture alive through traditional dance and music, as well as sharing our culture. The circle dot patterns represent meeting places and the U-Shapes surrounding them represent people meeting in unity.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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Designed by Parramatta players Josh Hoffman, Will Smith, Bevan French and Blake Ferguson, the jersey pays respect to the traditional owners of Parramatta and is a celebration of their rich heritage. The area of Parramatta was known by the Darug people as Burramatta - "Burra" meaning eel and "matta" meaning creek. The Eel in the background represents the ancestral spirit of the Parramatta jersey, and is a connection to the Aboriginal Ancestors who look over the land. The totem on the top left of the front of jersey represents Will Smith, the totem on the right sleeve represents Blake Ferguson, the totem on the left middle front of jersey represents Bevan French and the totem on the bottom right Josh Hoffman.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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"Stronger as one" is the theme of the Gold Coast Titans'' 2019 Indigenous jersey. The design, based on artwork titled "Korowa tarig" by rising Newcastle artist Tyler Smith, was chosen as the winner of the Gold Coast Titans Indigenous jersey design competition. "Korowa tarig means 'the sea coast' in the traditional language of the Awabakal people," Smith explains. "The illustration shows a school of fish swimming together as they are stronger as one. This also represents the essential teamwork needed to be a successful football team and organisation."
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
10/16
The design of the 2019 Panthers Indigenous jersey is based on an artwork by Panthers Indigenous welfare officer Glen Liddiard. The art incorporates the Panthers colours and depicts the geography and people of the Darug nation - the home of the Panthers' community today. The jersey also features totems of the Wiradjuri, Guriwal and Biripi people, representing the club's Indigenous players past and present.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The unique design for the Roosters’ 2019 Indigenous Round jersey was donated by KARI and created by artist Danielle Mate Sullivan. The design was made in consultation with the Roosters’ Indigenous players and incorporates the players’ hand prints, as well as the handprints of their children. The jersey will be on display when the Roosters face the in-form Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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Hailing from Bundjalung Nation and a Proud Wahlabul Man, Joe Walker has combined mastery, magic, creativity and culture to create a jersey that is inclusive and representative of the Rabbitohs’ six Indigenous players. Joe has designed a playing strip that incorporates the player's totems inside their own handprint. Among those featured are Kyle Turner (goanna), Braidon Burns )emu), Dane Gagai (shovelnose shark), Cody Walker (goanna), Alex Johnston (crocodile) and Greg Inglis (praying mantis). Beyond the totems, the jersey utilises lines which represent the players’ journey to the club.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The front of the jersey – designed by local artist Lani Balzan – includes a whale (Birri Birri), which symbolises the Dharawal nation, the land on which St George Illawarra play their home games. The four red dots above the Red V signify the club’s four Indigenous players - Josh Kerr, Jai Field, Jonus Pearson and Tristan Sailor. Local artists Keiran Campbell and Koori Minto designed the back of the jersey. Their creation highlights the special relationship and respect local aboriginals have with the sea, highlighting the significance of the sea creatures which have provided local Aboriginal People a food source for thousands of generations.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The jersey design pays respect to Māori - the indigenous people of New Zealand. The top half of the jersey represents mountains and waterways, while the triangle shapes symbolise mountains. The koru represents mist, clouds and swirling winds reaching up to the heavenly domain of Ranginui (the Sky Father). The waves break the shore below the mountains and rivers and lakes flow to the sea. The koru and kowhaiwhai represent growth, reaching upward toward the light, positivity, nurturing and protection. Also, they represent connection to the earthly domain of Papatuanuku (the Earth Mother). The design is placed on the front and back and represents the North Island and South Island. The colour of the jersey and the shades of grey represents the clouds.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The Indigenous jersey was designed by Aunty Deanna Schreiber. The blue on the jersey represents the waters of Cronulla, many campsites and the elders gathering. The animal tracks and totems - Goanna, Black Snake and Echidna - represent the Sharks’ Indigenous players Wade Graham, Will Kennedy, Andrew Fifita, Braydon Trindall and the family of Jayson Bukuya. The colour pink represents the many shells that were scattered on the beaches at Cronulla for thousands of years.
2019 Indigenous Round jerseys
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The Wests Tigers’ 2019 Indigenous Jersey is inspired by the traditional lands on which the club is based upon - lands of the Wangal, Gadigal and Tharawal people. The design uses topographical lines to form patterns that link pathways and meeting places as a way of uniting cultures to strengthen knowledge and understanding. The impressive artwork was produced by Vicki Golding and Dennis Golding.
“It was just under a compound fracture with pretty much every single bone broken in it, all the ligaments, the syndesmosis, just all gone.
“They did tell me before I had surgery that some players don't come back from it.
“My head noise was just through the roof. Thankfully I was able to get back and put it to the side pretty well.
“Craig was really good with me at Melbourne. I had heaps of injuries but he looked after me, kept me going and kept me working.”
Turpin needed to.
Another broken ankle followed early last season, just a few months into his new two-year deal with the Broncos.
“Just a clean break that one so that was almost a relief in comparison,” Turpin grins.
A couple of familiar faces from his Melbourne days have lobbed at Red Hill too.
Matt Lodge, Turpin’s first roommate when he arrived in the Victorian capital two days after finishing high school.
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Oates' emotional tribute to a young fan
And Anthony Seibold, who as Storm assistant switched him out of the halves and to hooker – “a good move when the broken ankles slowed me down a bit.”
With McCullough’s recovery from an MCL injury tracking to have him back in round 13 and James Segeyaro picked up for the rest of the year, Turpin knows his first grade chances could dry up soon.
He was upgraded to the Broncos top squad earlier this season but remains without a deal for 2020.
Regardless, every man and his dog in Haigslea knows how far he has come for his four NRL games – all wins – to date, and turn out accordingly.
“Last time I went home I went to the pub and I didn't have to pay for a beer,” he says.
“Mum and dad they'll go home after a game and people will be waiting for them to get there, to have a chat and say congratulations.
“It's that country town style, it's really good to see. Neighbours and friends always sending well wishes so it's a nice touch.”
Queensland Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.