Since joining at the age of five, Tuckwell’s life has orbited the club and now, with his son strapping on the boots for Rutherford, he has more reason than ever to fly the club flag. 

“I had a couple of years away when I joined the navy, but I came back, got back into it when my son started playing,” Tuckwell said.

“The club has always been the centre of it all for me.”

Tuckwell competed in the NSW state side in his teenage years. 

He still has the letters of recommendation the club wrote for him when he enlisted. And when he was medically discharged, it was the club that gave him a sense of purpose in the community. 

“It’s been my saviour, it’s kept me going,” he said.

Tuckwell puts in almost 30 hours a week during the football season mowing the fields, marking lines and managing equipment. Though he admits he can tend to be obsessive.

“I get good help from other people in the club when I need it but, most days, it’s just me, my mower, my line marker and the grounds,” he said. “Out in the fresh air.” 

A humble man who shies away from the limelight, Tuckwell said he gets from the club as much as he gives.

“People ask why I spend so much time on the grounds, but I tell them I just want good grounds for the kids to play on,” he said. “I have a love for it.”

When he received his life member jacket at a meeting a few weeks ago, he admitted he felt choked up.

“It’s something I’ll always cherish,” Tuckwell said.

“My son was very proud and it was probably one of the proudest days of my life.”

As Tuckwell spoke with The Star, council earthmovers carved up the heat-yellowed grass of his beloved field to install improved drainage in time for the 2016 season.

“It’s going to be great, we’ve always had trouble with drainage at this field” Tuckwell said.

“It’s long overdue and, with this area growing so much, the club will just keep getting bigger.”