HE is arguably Port City Breakers' biggest-name signing.
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One that coach Dan Kemp hopes can return the Breakers to the top of the Group 3 rugby league competition.
Jake McNamara comes with strong credentials having spent seven years at the Newcastle Knights before injuries brought a premature end to his dream of playing in the NRL.
"The body pretty much said no and I had a few too many broken bones," he said.
"A couple of broken ones in my back were the deciding factor."
While it didn't quite work out in Newcastle, the 24-year-old Port City junior admits he rarely thinks about what might have been.
"The body pretty much said no and I had a few too many broken bones."
- Jake McNamara
"I'm very happy living my best life, being around my favourite people and having nowhere to be other than where I want to be in that moment," he said.
"I went down to Newy and had a bit of fun and all the rest of it, but it was one of those things.
"Sometimes you have a good crack and sometimes they don't work out, so I came back to Port Macquarie."
Some of McNamara's best mates are still at the club, while others have also returned this season.
"I'm looking forward to being back at the old stomping ground and training out at Woods Street," he said.
"A couple of my best mates are still here; Jakey Kelly has been here for a while and Ty Foster is back this year as well."
The halfback knows some of the more experienced heads in the Breakers lineup will keep the younger ones in line both on and off the field.
"Dumas and Richie (Roberts) will sort us out," he said.
"I'm looking forward to being back at the old stomping ground and training out at Woods Street."
- Jake McNamara
"I'm hoping to have plenty of fun with the boys this year; we've got a good, young team and bunch of larrikins.
"We've got size up front and speed in the backs, so I'm just trying to bring a few laughs and play some good footy."
After more than 12 months without a game due to the pandemic, McNamara was excited to play under Kemp and had the expectation of going deep into the season.
"Kempy is an absolute legend; when it comes to training he'll give us a heap but then we'll go for a beer afterwards and tell a few stories," he said.
"You can't beat that.
"The expectation is to win it; that's what footy is about. We've definitely got the team to do it."
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