!["And I'm just so happy, so proud," said Yirrbi Jaffer-Williams after his player of the match display in Saturday's grand final. Picture by Gareth Gardner "And I'm just so happy, so proud," said Yirrbi Jaffer-Williams after his player of the match display in Saturday's grand final. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/fffca214-8bc9-4470-bb89-b2a4b56f2124.jpg/r0_0_5036_3469_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Yirrbi Jaffer-Williams is on a constant search to find meaning in life.
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It's a quest that resulted in the 24-year-old enrolling at the University of New South Wales, where he studied criminology, before he "chopped and changed" courses and, eventually, dropped out.
Late last year, the former Sydneysider arrived in Tamworth from Hanging Rock, where he had lived with his mother, in order "to train more". He does Muay Thai at Fighting Arts.
Early this year, Jaffer-Williams' quest brought him to Jack Woolaston Oval and the North Tamworth Bears.
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And at a windy Dungowan Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon, the Lardil man was aglow with meaning - not long after instinct, speed and a wicked palm propelled him through a hole and on to the tryline, as his graceful gait was wound up to maximum.
The scintillating long-range effort in the 45th minute, and Mitchell Sheridan's conversion, edged North Tamworth ahead of Dungowan in a compelling grand final - where an electric atmosphere buffeted like the strong wind.
After conceding back-to-back tries to end the first half, Norths now had the ascendency. And when replacement rake Liam Ball chased down his own grubber, at full stretch, just before the ball went dead, they had victory firmly in their sights.
![Jaffer-Williams looks to hurt Dungowan in the grand final. Picture by Gareth Gardner Jaffer-Williams looks to hurt Dungowan in the grand final. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/74106e86-fea9-4bba-91a0-eec23237eec3.jpg/r0_0_2415_1695_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The 22-14 triumph was Norths' record-extending seventh straight premiership. And Jaffer-Williams now has a special place in Norths' storied history, after being unknown to the venerable club not that long ago.
His player of the match performance in the grand final was an individual accolade, in what was a dream debut season in Group 4.
"Each and every day we have the opportunity to find something meaningful," he told the Leader post-match.
"And when I arrive at the club, at training, at the games, that's what I feel; I feel the meaning. And we're f**kin' proud of ourselves."
![Jaffer-Williams embraces Cowboys captain and co-coach Shaun Ferguson after the finale. Jaffer-Williams embraces Cowboys captain and co-coach Shaun Ferguson after the finale.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/d0b46881-3940-40a4-aa01-81b77d306570.jpg/r0_0_4792_3205_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
While boarding at Joseph's College in Sydney, Jaffer-Williams played on the wing for the NSW and the Australian schoolboys rugby union sides in 2016.
North Tamworth initially used the Wests barman on the wing. But he soon found himself at fullback, where he remained after a number of eye-catching performances.
"And, yeah, to see how far I've come, I am proud of myself," said Jaffer-Williams, whose first name means Kingfisher.
"I feel like we've always gotta have a goal," he continued, "and I had one this year - which was just to improve incrementally. And I think it's paid off."
![The 24-year-old's mob is the Lardil people of Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Picture by Mark Bode The 24-year-old's mob is the Lardil people of Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/6daa6a20-28c7-4885-bf81-fb34839f10d7.jpg/r0_0_3024_3673_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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