When Friday afternoon rolls around the chat in the C&W Financial Services office in Narrabri invariably turns to the footy.
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And again on Monday morning.
The topic of the discussion, however, isn't the weekend's NRL action or anything like that, but rather the fortunes of the Blue Boars women.
This week the talk's been about Saturday's Central North women's 10s grand final with Gerri Cruckshank and Toni Gale both playing in it.
Gale, who is the co-captain, isn't always in the office, but that doesn't stop them, Cruckshank said.
As was the case on Monday after their preliminary final win over Pirates, with Gale working out of the Wee Waa office, the two "made a cup of tea and called each other to go over the game".
![Gerri Cruckshank (right) and Blue Boars co-captain Toni Gale, don't just play football together they also work together. Picture Supplied. Gerri Cruckshank (right) and Blue Boars co-captain Toni Gale, don't just play football together they also work together. Picture Supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/572e4612-08e8-47ee-af25-ec1d03f8f282.png/r0_0_3584_2015_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Cruckshank joked that they do get a few eye rolls around the office.
But there are a few too happy to join in the footy talk.
Former first grade captain Matt McDonnell's wife Emma is a senior accountant while co-partner, Dave Maxwell, coached and played for the Blue Boars and was on the committee for a long time.
Late former Blue Boars women's coach Will Guest also worked there and was a big part in Cruckshank, who moved over to Narrabri about eight years ago from Burren Junction, joining the women's side.
Previously she had played league tag with the Narrabri Bluebirds.
"There was a lot of hounding in the morning tea break room being like 'are you coming to training today?'," she joked.
Initially she resisted.
"I spoke to a few of the girls and they were like no you'll love it," she said.
![Cruckshank in action for the Blue Boars during the season. Picture Supplied. Cruckshank in action for the Blue Boars during the season. Picture Supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/cc74519e-b2d4-4e69-acfb-da87666d5d05.jpg/r0_11_712_562_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"[So] one day I actually turned up, and [Guest] he's like I can't believe you're actually here."
"I had to go to work the next morning tail between my legs.
"I said I actually enjoyed it and I'm coming back tomorrow."
She played her first season with them in 2021.
At that time sister Lilly was also part of the side.
"It was really nice," Cruckshank, who is also now one of the club directors, said of getting that season together.
There is a bit of a running joke that she does still have a 'sister' on the team.
The spelling of her and Bella Cruickshank's surnames has been a source of some confusion.
At first glance people often assume that one or the other is misspelt and that they are sisters or cousins at least.
Gerri told a story about playing an away game somewhere and their names were both spelt the same way, and someone came up to them and referred to Bella as her "little blonde sister".
![There's plenty of footy talk around home with Cruckshank's fiancee Jake Rumsby a stalwart and former coach of the Narrabri Blues men's side. There's plenty of footy talk around home with Cruckshank's fiancee Jake Rumsby a stalwart and former coach of the Narrabri Blues men's side.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/6c7c6c5d-3fbb-4816-a3e0-e223d7e5ee1f_rotated_270.jpg/r0_637_2886_4032_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I was like no she's not my sister," she said.
They're not even related, although weirdly they do have some common relations on the Cruckshank/Cruickshank side.
At 29, one of the self-proclaimed "old girls" of the side, she can't wait for Saturday.
"Everyone in town is talking about the grand final," she said.
"All the girls are just pumped, it's just a really good feeling."
Part of the side that played against Pirates last year, Cruckshank said experiencing everything that's involved in a grand final she is this time round "less nervous" and "more excited for it".
TEAMS
GUNNEDAH: 1 Abby Nortrup, 2 Simone Lickorish, 3 Torika Nadruku, 4 Sarah Stewart, 5 Daniela Crowther, 6 Emmy Barr, 7 Piper Rankmore, 8 Madisan Rogers, 9 Peta Lawrence, 10 Stephanie Lennon, 11 Emily Wall, 12 Kathleen O'Donnell, 13 Samantha Cooper, 14 Georgia Smith, 15 Channelle Windsor, 16 Karalaini Raicebe, 17 Rhi Adamson, 18 Meri Leiataua, 19 Kylie Sanderson, 20 Kira Mancer, 21 Jordan Mitchell, 22 Ekala Geesu. Coach: Matt Hannay
NARRABRI: 19 Abbey Anderson, 21 Shona McFarland, 1 Peta Cox (c), 5 Esta Kalatzis, 12 Natalia McInnes, 25 Gerri Cruckshank, 10 Toni Gale (c), 9 Bella Cruickshank, 11 Miranda Hamilton, 15 Cassidy Morley, 22 Isabelle McClelland, 13 Tori Allison, 20 Jasmine Wheeler, 18 Antoinette Wenner, 16 Zoe Tomlinson, 7 Carly Baxter, 14 Louisa Anderson, 6 Chelsea Hancock. Coaches: Mick Coffey and Peta Cox