Luke Bonnell occasionally wears his religious beliefs on his teeth.
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Written on the front of the new Kootingal-Moonbi signing's mouthguard is this Old Testament Psalm: "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?"
Since time immemorial, countless Christians would have uttered those words in the most desperate of times, including before going into battle. It's Bonnell's go-to Bible verse on the rugby league battlefield.
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"I usually quote it every time we kick off, and I pray with the team before each game," said Bonnell, who was part of the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Wests Tigers' youth systems - before walking away from the Tigers at age 19 after deciding pursuing an NRL career was not for him.
The 25-year-old youth pastor at The Chapel, in Tamworth, exemplifies the seemingly increased prevalence of Australians outwardly displaying their faith - think NRL players huddled together in prayer at matches, or Scott Morrison allowing the media to capture him worshipping in church prior to the last federal election.
Bonnell said it was "great" that more NRL players were expressing their faith so openly, in a sport that could be "pretty full on and not very aligned with religious values".
The players, he said, could take a religious "stand" and still play the game. "As it becomes more common," he continued, "it makes it easier and [it] can have a positive influence over the game ... and hopefully [it] can have an impact on reducing the scandals we see through the off-season."
When we emerge from the coronavirus miasma, Roosters supporters will see Bonnell, a married father of two girls, displaying his faith - after he joined the club upon arriving in Tamworth last August and linking with his uncle, Darren Bonnell, the pastor at The Chapel.
Bonnell relocated with his wife, Sarah, and their daughters, Delilah, 2, and Freya, 10 months. The couple wanted a different lifestyle to the one living in Campbelltown provided (Bonnell was born and bred there).
"We [he and Sarah] both had a business each in Campbelltown. And yeah, we just decided we wanted to move to the country and take life a bit slower."
"We love it [in Tamworth]," he added. "It's relaxing, and the people here are the biggest difference [compared to Campbelltown]. The people are so nice and genuine."
Bonnell showed in early 2014, when he exited Wests Tigers despite having some 18 months remaining on his contract, that he is not afraid to untether himself for a situation if it no longer suites him. His teammates at the time included James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses, David Nofoaluma and Nathan Brown.
"Seeing a lot of those guys become big names, I'm like, 'It would have been cool [to do the same], but I honestly don't regret it [walking away]."
At age 19, he was training six days a week, working full-time as a carpet cleaner and his travel time between home and the Tigers was about two hours each day. "I was just over the lifestyle."
The hooker-lock then joined Group 6 club the Campbelltown City Kangaroos. He went on to play for two more Group 6 clubs, the Thirlmere Roosters and the Narellan Jets, before sitting out 2019 because he planned to relocate to Tamworth.
He joined Kooty because his uncle played for the club, and because he "didn't want to play for the Bears, because the Bears have dominated the comp".
"I wanted to join a club who can take them on."
Bonnell is committed to forging a church career, but is studying urban planning at the University of New England, to give himself a "back up" plan. "I'm just enjoying having a young family, working and seeing what's next, I guess."
