In every sporting club there are those names that are just held in that bit higher esteem.
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When you talk Moree Bulls, Copeman is one of those.
For almost half a century the Copeman name has featured on the team sheet either in a playing or coaching capacity; sometimes even both.
And at Gunnedah on Saturday, Peter, Sam and Mitch will all be out to help the Bulls earn their shot at grand final glory.
Mitch will line up on the wing for first grade in their preliminary final against the Red Devils and Sam at five-eighth for second grade, while dad Peter, or Bear as he's better known, will be there on the sideline as part of the first grade brains trust.
It will be something of a first in the family's venerated association with the club.
While Peter and Sam have been involved in finals together, and even won a premiership together as captain (Sam) and co-coach (Peter), Mitch has been living in Brisbane for the better part of the last 15 years.
Returning ahead of the 2022 season, he jokingly lamented that he hasn't acquired a nickname variation of Bear. Sam got "Cub", but he just gets "Mitch".
Originally heading north to board at Nudgee College, five years ended up turning into more than a decade.
The catalyst for moving back to Moree was he and partner Nadia welcoming a son Louie, who is now two.
"I'd been away from my family for 12/13 years so I said to her would you like to move back and be with my family and see how we go and it's been a good decision to move back," the 30-year-old said.
"The community's great and the footy community here's even better."
He did up in Brisbane play a few seasons with newly-minted premiers Brothers, but with his work - he was working a lot of night shifts - it became too difficult so he gave footy away for a little while.
Coming back for the Bulls last season, it had been four or five years since he'd last played.
He said it wasn't a case of anyone really getting in his ear and convincing him to have another run, it was more something he just decided on his own.
One of the lures was playing with his older brother.
The three year age gap, and their geographical differences, meant they haven't really had a lot of opportunities to play together.
"We played probably when I was 17/18. He was playing first grade and I'd come back from school and play a bit of footy," Mitch recalled.
But that's about it.
As things have turned out, they haven't actually got to play together too much the last two years with Mitch playing predominantly first grade and Sam second grade, but the plan is to "tame it back in the next couple of years" and maybe play "some casual second grade together and not train as much".
Before that they've both got a grand final to win their way to, and then hopefully a premiership.
