Liam Hatch grew up on a diet of rugby league and horse racing, but only the former stuck big time.
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On Saturday, Liam will pack down with his elder brother Zach when in-form Kootingal-Moonbi meet the Magpies in the preliminary final at Werris Creek.
But while Zach followed in the footsteps of their father, Mark, and became a Tamworth horse trainer, Liam, 20, did not become as enamoured with the sport.
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The racing bug bit Zach, 22, "real hard", Liam said, adding: "He loves it."
"I'm not as interested [in racing] as Zach is. He's sort of always been horse orientated, where me [that is] is not so much [the case]."
Zach trains New Zealand-bred, five-year-old gelding Schappose, which ran fifth in the Highway Handicap at Kensington this month.
When the brothers' father decided to retire as a trainer, Zach was the obvious person to hand the reins to. Mark now works for Tamworth trainer Luke Morgan.
Liam is a trainee at Roads and Martime Services. He told the latest episode of the LeagueLand podcast that he and his brother did not formulate a joint plan to leave Dungowan and join Kooty this season.
"I just messaged Zach and I said, 'I'm goin' to Kooty'. And he said, 'Oh what, me too, sort of thing.'"
Liam, who went to Oxley High, was lured to Kootingal because he has former school friends playing there. While his good mate is in-form Roosters fullback Jack Rumsby, who also joined Kooty from Dungowan this season. "I was just speaking to him [Rumsby] and I thought I'd make the move," Liam said.
Liam scored a try in Sunday's 54-18 elimination final spanking of Gunnedah at Kootingal, backing up inspirational Roosters half Jordan Sharpe after he chipped and regathered.
The Roosters have won seven of their past eight matches, their only loss coming against Norths at Jack Woolaston Oval.
Liam said the Roosters could improve by not "switching off" and by not making "simple errors", while at times they tended to "start to get wound up into the other team's game instead of playing our own".
He expects the Magpies to "come out strong and give us everything they have".
In a text-message exchange, Roosters coach Geoff Sharpe told the Leader that the Hatch brothers "have been great for the side".
"Liam's defence has locked in the right edge," Sharpe said. "Great hole runner, fit and fast at the moment."
Sharpe said Zach's defence had "become first class in the middle". He was still learning a "difficult" position, with his running and passing game improving. "He has worked really hard to get his fitness levels up to play [No.] 9."
