There will be more than two competition points at stake on Saturday when the Hastings rugby league community comes together to remember Ged Roods.
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The Wauchope Blues and Port Macquarie Sharks will clash at Lank Bain Sporting Complex although the result will come second on what looms as an emotional day for all involved.
Blues co-captain Mat Bird and Sharks lock forward Scott Grant have close connections to the Roods family.
"Being a Port-Wauchope game brings rivalry into it but then when you add the Ged Roods Memorial Day to it, it makes it that bit more special," Bird said.
"Ged was a massive part of my life so having a day that's in memory for him is incredible. It's going to be a very emotional day."
Roods was in Bird's wedding party and doubled up as the master of ceremonies on the day he married partner Kirsty in September 2019.
"He was the one that got me into rowing surfboats," he said.
The relationship between the Grant and Roods families developed through their mothers although Scott was also good friends with Ged's sister Kristy.
"There's always been a link there and as I got older and we got involved in the footy club more at either end we crossed paths more and became close mates," Grant said.
"It will be a big day for both clubs."
Grant admitted the majority of people who attend the match will have their own stories and memories to reflect on.
Through his role as president of the Blues, Roods was a familiar face at most Group 3 rugby league matches.
"It is going to be a different day for everyone, but everyone that's at the footy is going to have an emotional individual moment with themselves at some stage," Grant said.
"It's going to be such a big occasion because of the man Ged was and the way he held himself."
The Sharks back-rower knows that his mate will be there in spirit although he will no doubt be cheering the Blues on.
"It's the original rivalry of the Hastings and we love to beat them and they love to beat us and I know for damn sure Ged loved to beat us," he said.
"We'll be out there looking for a win on Saturday and it's going to have that grand final feel and atmosphere and intensity."
Wauchope will wear specially designed jerseys for the match with Ged's beloved red, white and blue of the Sydney Roosters taking up half of the front of the jersey.
The other half will be the traditional Blues home strip with a yellow back and red numbers to signify the surf life saving aspect of his life.
First grade kicks off at 3.15pm.
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