Liam Ball: North Tamworth hooker keen for a sea change and footy excellence

And while Liam Ball can't see the seductive lights of Cavill Avenue - or, for that matter, hear the enticing call of the Pacific Ocean, the Gold Coast is at the forefront of his mind.

At some stage the 19-year-old may take over his father's Tamworth-based asphalt business, Country Pavement Services.

But before that happens, he wants to untether himself from the familiar surrounds of Tamworth, the city of his birth, and immerse himself in one of Australia's most desirable environments.

Waiting for the the McCarthy Catholic College alumnus, if he makes the move to the Gold Coast, would be his former North Tamworth Bears teammate Dan Kelly.

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Kelly relocated to the Gold Coast at the start of the year and is playing first grade for the Tugun Seahawks.

"It's definitely a main priority that I wanna do; it's just not definite yet," Ball said of the relocation plan.

"He's [Kelly] making it very tempting to go up there," Ball also said, adding: "It would be good to play with him again."

Ball and Kelly played together in Norths' 2019 premiership-winning under-18 side, and made their first-grade debuts at the club last year. They were also teammates in the Greater Northern Tigers' under-18 side.

This year Ball has been handed the No 9 jersey at Norths, after primarily being used as an interchange utility in 2021. He was man of the match in Norths' opening round defeat of Manilla this month.

Ball met the Leader at Jack Woolaston Oval at noon on Wednesday. He had just finished work for the day.

"Ah ... no comment," he replied when asked if his father, Steve, was a good boss. "Yeah, no favours whatsoever there," he added, in relation to his father's treatment of him at work.

Steve also played first grade for the Bears. While Ball's late grandfather, Bob Wilkinson, was a much-respected president of the club.

Ball wants to extract all the rugby league talent from his body. That's why he worked extra hard in the off-season just gone.

And, in large part, that's why he wants to live on the Gold Coast; he wants to "test" himself at a higher level.

Last month he tested himself at a higher level when he debuted for the Greater Northern Tigers' men's side after coming off the bench in a semi-final loss to the Northern Rivers Titans.

He will be back in action for Norths when they meet the Bulldogs in Gunnedah on Saturday. Norths will be without Scott Blanch, Jake McManus and James Cooper, who have a prior commitment.

Ball said: "It will show what we're made of this year, going to that game without three of our main leaders."

North Tamworth coach Paul Boyce said his No 9 was a "very energetic" and "very skilful" player, and was "certainly a character around the club" - someone who "gives the boys a bit of a laugh".

"He's very well like around the club," Boyce said. "And I think all the hard work he did in the off-season was certainly on display against Manilla."

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