As the only member of the North Tamworth Bears to have played in every one of the club's eight consecutive first grade premierships, it is reasonable to assume James Cooper is accustomed to the feeling.
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But after nearly a decade of taking home silverware, Cooper is still ticking off new firsts.
![James Cooper with his stepson, Brooklyn Le Brocq-Watton, shortly after securing his eighth consecutive premiership for North Tamworth. Picture by Gareth Gardner. James Cooper with his stepson, Brooklyn Le Brocq-Watton, shortly after securing his eighth consecutive premiership for North Tamworth. Picture by Gareth Gardner.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/fd7ce1c4-ae87-4a64-b7d3-e2e8a35d66d8.jpg/r0_688_7373_5095_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
And this year's might be the most special of all, as it marked the first time he and wife, Leica Le Brocq, both won premierships on the same day.
"I coached the women in 2019. Leica played that year, and we won, but as a married couple, this is number one for us," Cooper said.
"And we have little baby boy that's four-and-a-half months old. This is the first one with him, which is extra-special."
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Both Cooper and Le Brocq were instrumental in their respective teams' fortunes this year, he as a bruising forward who made crucial carries and was resolute in defence, while she was a canny playmaker for the women with a dangerous kicking game.
Of the many premierships Cooper has been a part of, he said it was hard to definitively say which one meant the most as "there's been some special years".
But the Bears' 2023 campaign may go down as their most satisfying victory of the lot, as it came off the back of what Cooper described as a "really, really poor" start to the season.
"This year is more special, because we did it the hard way," he said.
"Halfway through the year, we were dreadful. We were a long way off the pace ... and it was as far gone as I've thought we've been in a season.
![Leica Le Brocq was a key factor in North Tamworth's journey to the premiership this season. Picture by Zac Lowe. Leica Le Brocq was a key factor in North Tamworth's journey to the premiership this season. Picture by Zac Lowe.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/34c0a935-c4ff-45ae-8ea3-8ae3e9694155.jpg/r81_300_4643_3157_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We had a meeting, and our focus was what we've got to do to turn it around. We came up with two mottos: 'Enjoy tough periods', and 'Week by week, win by win'.
"Over eight weeks, we taught ourselves not just to embrace tough periods, but to enjoy them."
The revamped mentality sparked a sharp reverse in form for North Tamworth, who went on to go undefeated in the last half of the season - including their run through finals.
This qualified them to host the grand final, which benefited the team massively and allowed Cooper to revel in the presence of his biggest fan: his son, Ollie.
"Fatherhood is a pivotal time in your life, and I think about him a little bit now when I play, which is good," Cooper said.
"We speak about making each other proud [as a team], and that's equally applicable to our family, and for me it's a little bit special."
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