Hindmarsh, who was at Perthville yesterday afternoon to present a cheque to the Villages United Junior Rugby League Club, spoke about his junior career in the Southern Highlands with the local school students but said he was likely to remain in the city when he retires.

“I’m not too sure what I’m going to do when I finish – I’ve still got two years on my contract at Parramatta,” he said. “I won’t be a dairy farmer that’s for sure,” he said in reference to Ian Hindmarsh, currently a dairy farmer in Cowra and coach of the Magpies’ Group 10 premier league side.

“That’s in his blood, but it isn’t in mine. I love the country, but my kids and my wife are pretty settled in Sydney. I still love getting out to the country areas to do things like this though.”

Nathan Hindmarsh played his junior league with the Robertson Spuddies before moving on to the Moss Vale Dragons, and admitted that initially a career being paid to play football wasn’t something he thought about.

“I had not given much thought to professional football until a little way through high school,” he said.

“Like every kid playing rugby league I wanted to play for Australia and get to the top level but it was more of a dream than something I really thought about.”

The hard-working second rower, who has played 20 Tests for Australia and 21 State of Origin matches for NSW was part of the Parramatta side who stormed into last year’s grand final only to be denied by the Melbourne Storm – who were later stripped of the title for salary cap breaches.

Fortune hasn’t been as kind to the Eels in 2010, and they missed the finals altogether though he is confident things can improve again after a big off-season.

“It was very disappointing to go as poorly as we did especially compared to last year,” Hindmarsh said.

“Already we are really looking forward to getting back into training and preparing for next season. I think basically we just didn’t have the same players playing well who were playing good football last year.

“We have picked up Carl Webb from the Cowboys for next year, we also have Shane Shackleton to come back who missed all of this year through injury, and with Justin Poore there and a couple of others we should have a pretty strong forward pack for next season.”

While he said that naturally his interest in the current finals series has been lessened by his own side’s absence, he is leaning towards a red, white and blue victory in two Sundays’ time, and he is certain as to where his loyalties lie regarding the remaining four teams.

“It is hard to pick, but of the teams left I would like to see the Roosters win I think, I’ve always been a bit of a Brian Smith fan from back when he was coaching at the Eels,” he said.

“They are capable of playing some really good footy and I think they might just be too good."