Daniel Ross to play 100th game for the Tweed Coast Raiders in NRRRL

The 30-year-old will lead his team out onto Stan Payne Oval as the Raiders travel south to take on Evans Head in round eight of the NRRRL on Saturday afternoon.

“I’m really proud to play for this club and to play 100 games is pretty special,” he said.

While most local juniors have a strong connection to their clubs, Ross has a particularly special bond with Tweed Coast.

As someone who was proudly “born and raised in Cabarita, lived my whole life here,” Ross started playing with the Raiders as a junior before stepping away from the game at the age of 15. He was then part of the group, which included older brothers Drew and Guy Lanston, who came back to help rebuild the club as Tweed Coast broke a four-year hiatus by returning to the NRRRL in 2016.

“I came back when the seniors got back up and running in 2016 and it all just sort of kicked off from there,” he said.

“I’ve got two brothers who are five years older than me, Drew and Guy, and they were a major influence on me and what I did as well. They played too and that was a major reason to get back into it, to play my first A-grade game with them.”

Over the years Ross has seen the Raiders go from being returning new boys to competition heavyweights, with one game in particular standing out as his favourite of the 99 he’s played in lime green.

“Definitely the 2018 grand final,” he said. “We went down to Ballina and beat them (24-4) on their home ground. A lot of our fans travelled down and there were incredible scenes. To come away with the win that day is something that we’ll all remember forever. And same again, I got to do it with my two older brothers, so that made it extra special.”

While just a young gun in the 2018 premiership team, the now 30-year-old has well and truly progressed into a leader at the club. He was handed the captaincy by coach Brent Kite this year and is one of the most respected players at the club.

“He’s one of my best mates and we go way back. We actually used to live next to each other when we were young kids, so we grew up together,” said Raiders backrower Owen Fredericks.

“He and his older brothers and some others got together and brought back the Raiders in 2016. So for the last decade he’s been a massive part of the Tweed Coast Raiders and getting them back into the comp.

“He’s on the committee, he does a lot of things behind the scenes and is our captain as well. He’s a great leader who makes sure that people play to the best of their best and is someone you can trust.”

And while Ross is set to bring up the ton this weekend, it could well have happened a lot sooner, with the front-rower spending three seasons dual-registered with the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the Q Cup – an experienced that he is incredibly grateful for.

“It was unreal, I couldn’t speak highly enough of that club,” said Ross. “Everyone just made me feel welcome. It was a bit daunting at the start, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I started a bit late and was a bit older than a lot of the boys but I wouldn’t change anything for the world.

“It was a mad experience. I got to go over to Papua New Guinea and play over there, so I’ve been incredibly lucky to do that here on the Tweed where I live. I’m very grateful for that experience.”

Ross finished up his three-year stint with the Seagulls at the end of the last season, with his deep family bond with the Raiders one of the main factors behind his decision to solely focus on Tweed Coast in 2024.

“Going back to my brothers, one of them (Guy) doesn’t play anymore and the other one (Drew) reckons it’s going to be his last year so that was a major part of my decision to come back home,” said Ross.

“We’ve got such a good core group of guys here at the Raiders. It’s a new sort of challenge because we’ve got a few younger lads coming through but they’re all great blokes and it’s pulled me to come back and teach everyone what I’ve learned.”

So, ahead of the milestone match, what would be the perfect scenario for game number 100?

“Definitely a win, that’d lift the spirits of the boys,” said Ross. “It’s a bus trip on a Saturday, so if we get the win I dare say there’d be a few beers on the bus on the way home. So a win first and then celebrations after.”

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And while Ross isn’t making any grand claims to make it 150 or 200 games, it appears as though he’s still got plenty of time left in lime green.

“I’m just taking it year by year. We’ve got such a good group of lads down there and I’m really enjoying my time. It’s my time to try and help the younger generation coming through as well, so as long as I’m still moving alright and keeping up with those younger lads, I’ll just keep trucking on.”

Tweed Coast take on Evans Head on Saturday 2:45pm at Stan Payne Oval.

Originally published as Daniel Ross to play 100th game for the Tweed Coast Raiders in NRRRL