Walcha supporters could be excused for doing a quick double take when they glance at Pirates' line-up for their Round 9 clash at Walcha on Saturday.
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There listed at No.6 will be a name familiar and endeared to them.
Hamish McLaren was part of the Rams' 1997 premiership-winning side - the last to win the Heath Shield - and is a revered figure around the club.
Making his starting debut - ironically - in the corresponding game last season, the Pirates' Hamish McLaren, wasn't really aware of his namesake specifically but was of a strong connection between the McLaren name and Walcha.
It was a common question he would get: was he related to the 'Walcha McLaren's'?.
To his knowledge he's not.
Originally from Nyngan, the now 23-year-old, played under 19s with Pirates in 2017 and 2018, before heading off to Newcastle for university and playing a few seasons with Newcastle University.
Moving back to Tamworth in January 2022, he was limited to a few starts for first grade last season, but has demanded the six jersey as his own this season.
Spoilt for choice in the back row, after getting an opportunity to start in the first round against Scone, Pirates co-coach Evan Kellow said McLaren has just made it "impossible" not to keep picking him with his performances.
"He's just consistently sort of getting two and three points and players' player and things like that," he said.
The game before the long weekend break was a milestone one for the Farrer alumni, with the man they call "Hammer", playing his 50th game for the club.
"It gets better every week," he said about his footy with Pirates.
Finding out at training on Thursday night, he confessed there were "a few nerves".
"I'm normally not nervous at all, and I wasn't nervous until I went in the sheds and I thought 'I'd better do something today'." he said.
Understandably he is pretty happy with how his season is going.
"I put in a lot of work into pre-season and just very happy to have that spot in first grade," he said.
He said there wasn't really anything he had specifically in his game he has worked on. It's just about "showing up every week to training as much as I can" and "just trying to be about the team as much as possible".
With the consistency of games he is also a lot more comfortable in his role in the side.
"Last year playing reserve grade I was getting pretty nervous each time I came on," McLaren said.
"With a bit more time on the field it feels like home now."
Kellow highlighted the former front-rowers' fitness as one of his biggest assets.
"He's a real cut above with his fitness and the work-rate that comes with that," he said.
"Come the 70th minute he's still just powering ahead and that's when you really notice him."
"Probably the ultimate back-rowers game really, you don't notice him the first 65, it's the back end of the game you really start seeing him doing all the good work because he's so fit."
He said he also "fits well" into the forward pack.
"He's not a real dominant ball carrier but we don't need him to be because we've got those guys. His big piece of his game is his clean-up work and just being everywhere," he said.
"And he'll only get better."
Pirates were as of Friday still finalising their side with a few things to work out as far as the backs with fullback Sam Collett still out with injury and a couple of other injury concerns.
In other games Narrabri are at home to Gunnedah and Scone host Inverell.
