It is a catchcry which those who frequent Group 10 matches would have heard more than once as fans desperate for their team to score a try believe it can be done if centre William ‘Bubba’ Kennedy has the ball in his hands.

And those same spectators would have seen Kennedy provide more than once. He has done it for Bathurst Panthers, Mudgee Dragons, Orange CYMS and Orange Hawks.

He also did it for the Balmain Tigers on 26 occasions when he played for the club in the then Australian Rugby League competition between 1996 and 1998.

It is try-scoring prowess – and cover defence which has cut down opponents seemingly headed for a four-pointer – which has earned Kennedy a place in Bush Footy Yarns’ best team.

Bush Footy Yarns, a Facebook page frequented by rugby league fans, held a competition asking people to vote for the best players that ‘bush footy’ had produced.

To be eligible a player had to have played first grade for both an ARL or NRL club and a ‘bush footy’ club.

As well as Kennedy voted into the centres alongside Mick Cronin, one of his former team-mates at Bathurst Panthers made the cut as well.

Dave Elvy, a five-eighth who captain-coached the Panthers, was named on the bench alongside Ewan McGrady, Jamie Lyon and Laurie Daley.

Elvy said it was a shock to see his name in the side, but Kennedy’s selection was less of a surprise.

“Bubba played about 100-ish [61] games for Balmain and he has been good for Group 10 and Western Division too,” Elvy said.

“From that [the Bush Footy] starting side I think Grant Wooden ran around this year, I am not sure if he is playing again next year, and Joel Thompson is still playing for the Raiders, but for Bubba to still be running around now is pretty good.

“There are a fair few good players filling different positions in that side.”

Currently a Bathurst Panther, Kennedy was one of the oldest rookies the ARL had seen when he ran out onto the field for the Tigers in their season opener against Sydney City in 1996. He turned 27 that year.

In round four he scored his first try in the orange and black when he beat the Newcastle defence.

While Kennedy is now into his 40s he is still a man who can break a game open and his reputation for doing so helped him gain plenty of votes in the Bush Footy Yarns competition.

Elvy played his junior football for the Parkes Spacemen and caught the eye of Penrith Panthers officials during his time at the Group 11 club. 

He went on to play 140 games through the grades for Penrith before taking up a job as the captain-coach of the Bathurst Panthers in 2002. While not making it as the Bush Footy Yarns’ first choice five-eighth – that honour belongs to Mick Peachey – he was delighted to be named in the number 17 jumper.

“Obviously I must have a lot of friends who use Facebook,” he joked. 

“But you take the good when it comes. I never knew they were going to do this sort of thing, but to be named in that team with all those sorts of players and being one that people vote for – it’s great.

“I’ve played with a few of the people in that side before and met a few.

“I knew that I had been nominated but it was a bit of a shock actually [to make it]. I got a rush of messages on Saturday when they named the team.”

All players and coaches selected in the team will be honoured at the inaugural Bush Footy Yarns launch at Parkes on January 4 next year.

BUSH FOOTY YARNS’ BEST TEAM: 1 David Peachey, 2 Nathan Blacklock, 3 Mick Cronin, 4 William ‘Bubba’ Kennedy, 5 Terry Fahey, 6 Mick Peachey (c), 7 Dennis Moran, 8 Grant Wooden, 9 Ian Walsh, 10 Josh Miller, 11 Ronnie Gibbs, 12 Joel Thompson, 13 Johnny Raper, 14 Ewan McGrady, 15 Jamie Lyon, 16 Laurie Daley, 17 Dave Elvy. Coach: Ted Goodwin. Assistant coach: Will Harris