The title of 'best hooker in the Peter McDonald Premiership' may just reside in Orange after CYMS landed themselves an Australian representative.
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Although Ryan Griffin hasn't strapped on the boots for a conventional season of rugby league since early 2021 when he fractured his jaw while playing for the Goulburn City Bulldogs, the green and gold junior certainly isn't short of match fitness.
Having moved to Canberra to study at the Australian Federal Police College, Griffin has played many a representative match for the cops.
The included State of Origin matches and even an Australian call-up in 2023 and 2024.
"It's a pride thing to pull on the green and gold jersey for your country and not just for CYMS," Griffin, who will take on Great Britain in a one off test match in March said.
With the policing teams littered with former NSW Cup and QLD Cup players, the hooker certainly had his work cut out for him.
"It's a bit of a step up. It's all the guys who came close but didn't make the NRL who still want to hit blokes on weekends," he said.
"It's good football and tough quality."
Time constraints early on at the AFP College prevented him from playing regular footy on the weekend.
And although Griffin is still studying, he's now been afforded the opportunity to play week in and week out once more after his partner got a job working at James Sheahan Catholic High School.
"The rep footy has put the fire back in the belly to play weekend sport," he said.
"My job can accommodate me coming back and seeing my partner, so I figured if I'm going to be in Orange seeing her that much, I may as well play for CYMS."
And so he signed on the dotted line and had his first pre-season hit-out on Thursday night.
With his father watching most of CYMS' games during their 2023 season, Griffin was getting weekly updates on how the side was going.
That gave Griffin even more reason to return.
"It hurt being that far away from it," he said.
"You don't sign up to lose. I read (Dan Mortimer's article in the Central Western Daily) and the boys are coming back to win. I'm sure they all share the same sentiment."
As for where Griffin will line up come the start of the season, one would assume he'd slot right into the number nine jersey.
But with a litany of summer signings bolstering CYMS' depth, he'll be happy to play wherever coach Jack Buchanan wants him to.
"When (Mick Sullivan) was there I'd play in whatever jersey he needed me to be in," Griffin added.
"Whatever Jack needs me to be, I'll do that."