Quick with a joke, and with his distinctive moustache, Angus Roberts gives the impression of being a pretty casual character.
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But on the field the Moree breakaway means business. Like a terrier, wherever the ball is, he is never usually too far away.
He showed that in the Bulls' elimination final win over Narrabri with a couple of timely turnovers, and again on Saturday for the try that ultimately won the preliminary final for them.
After skipper Duncan Woods took the quick tap from a penalty, the Bulls No.7 was johnny-on-the-spot to scoop up the ball from the back of the ruck, and, to his pleasant surprise, the hole just opened up.
"Normally there's a big bloke there to stop me, so it was good to actually see a hole for once," Roberts joked.
The 24-year-old is in his second season with the Bulls after moving to Moree out of uni to take up a job as a graduate agronomist with the local AMPS branch, or as he put it: "to get away from home so I don't have to do any lamb marking or anything".
'Home' is almost 700 kilometres away at Cootamundra, where his family runs a sheep and cropping enterprise.
The farm has been in Roberts' family tracing back several generations.
Just as farming is in the blood, so too is rugby.
Roberts has been playing since he was about seven and his dad, Justin, is a life member of the local club - the Cootamundra Tri-Colours - and to this day still heavily involved.
He too has proudly pulled on the black, red and yellow, and been fortunate to play a handful of games with his dad. They even won a premiership together in 2015.
Also playing a bit of league in his younger years, rugby took over when he went away to boarding school in Sydney.
Post-school, keen to spread his wings a bit, Roberts studied a bachelor of Rural Science at UNE, which was where he also acquired his trademark mo'.
"I grew it in my first year and have only shaved it once since," the Albies alumnus said.
His theory is, it makes him "look older".
"Otherwise none of my clients would respect me," he joked.
He's excited for Saturday's grand final, which will be his second with the Bulls.
"I played in the second grade grand final last year and that was bloody awesome," he said.
"We lost to Pirates so it will be good to have a bit of a rematch against Pirates at Pirates in both grades."
"We've been pushing for it all year and it's been a bit of a goal, so to have the opportunity is great."
Roberts' 2022 season was plagued by injury - after starting the first five or six games for first grade he popped his shoulder out, so was out for a little while, and then when he came back, did it again. But this year, he has been a constant, and key, presence in the Bulls pack.
They go into the decider knowing they certainly have the capability to beat Pirates. They did it in the first round, and in their last meeting only went down by six points.
"We're confident we can match up with them but it's finals, anything can happen and they're a bloody good side so we're going to have to be on the ball," Roberts said.
- For more on the grand finals including the teams lists for the big day check out our feature in Friday's Northern Daily Leader.
