THE last time George Rose stepped onto Carrington Park he got to taste the ecstasy of a grand final win as the Bathurst Panthers under 18s claimed the Group 10 premiership.
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Any rugby league follower should be well aware of his journey since then, as he spent more than a decade with four NRL clubs and earning a cult following.
Along with his brothers Trent and Matt and coach Zac Rowlandson, he has helped inspire a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of the Oberon Tigers, and on Saturday Rose returns to that same venue 16 years later.
"I’m looking forward to getting back there, I’ve always thought that ground was one of the best in country rugby league here in New South Wales,” Rose said.
“At this stage this is looking like being my last year in Group 10, I’ll weigh it up at the end of the year but there’s a big chance it will be my last, so this could be one last game at Carrington.
“I’ve absolutely loved being back here this season, the club and the people have been amazing and the young fellas have so much talent in Oberon. Seeing them grow has been awesome.
“I think Matt [Rose] has brought a fair bit of that guidance that a few of them needed on the field.
“The start of the season was just fantastic with all the cars parked around the little ground out there at Oberon and the atmosphere that went with it.”
After their brilliant start to the season the Tigers have come back to the pack a little through losses to St Pat’s and Orange CYMS, and take on a side who have won six straight matches and drawn another since the Tigers beat the Panthers by two points on May 1.
Rose enthused about the quality of the competition and the players he has been alongside and up against, even though there are few if any who were even close to senior football during his last stint in the Group.
“There are a lot of individuals across this competition with so much talent, guys I’d never heard of before who had the type of talent that could have, or could still take them to a higher level,” the former Manly star said.
“Our game this weekend will be a tough one, Panthers are playing good footy and with a few of the players they’ve had come back recently they probably deserve to be favourites.
“Orange CYMS to me are the benchmark and to come back and draw with them away from home shows that they’re doing something right.
“We are nearly back to full-strength, we’re still without Luke Christie-Johnston though, who I think is one of the best and hardest working props in the competition and very talented.”
