The bright lights of season kick-off might be at the forefront of most rugby league minds but Parramatta centre Daejarn Asi has been handed a newfound perspective on the game.
After suffering an MCL injury in January, the 22-year-old Eels recruit volunteered to hit the road with the 'Your Local Club' Road to Regions program to share his NRL skills and experiences to the recently flooded communities in NSW's Central West.
After floodwaters decimated crops, displaced houses and cut local rugby league competitions short, the former New Zealand Warrior was amazed to see resilience still shining throughout the western plains.
“When I first injured my knee, I was pretty down but seeing these communities and what they’ve been through, I realised my situation wasn’t nearly as bad compared to what these people had lost,” Asi told NRL.com.
“You don’t really see until you’re out there how bad those communities were affected, you could see footpath bridges that had been washed down the river and houses which had fully moved off their land plot.
“After what they’ve been through, seeing those kids still coming to school and running around with a smile on their face, showed me just how resilient these communities are."
Visiting towns such as Eugowra, Canowindra and Quandialla, Asi and fellow NRL and NRLW stars Tiana Penitani and Jason Saab delivered a range of key messages and programs where students learned resilience and support strategies for dealing with setbacks and staying on the front foot of their health and well-being.
Having never visited the Central West, the New Zealand-born Asi said it was inspiring to see the passion for rugby league still runs thick through our country communities, despite the recent adversities they'd faced.
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“Some of the kids out there, it’s probably the first time they’ve seen an NRL and NRLW player because they can’t just drive down the road to watch a game,” he said.
“For them, rugby league is very hard to get into. They’re driving hours just to get to training or to play so seeing them just as passionate as anyone else is special because they’re sacrificing so much to play the game.
“There was a couple of Parramatta fans that came asked for tips and how to get into the NRL, so making a connection with them was pretty cool and was a joy to be a part of.”
Returning to Sydney’s West to continue his own road to recovery, the 2023 Eels recruit is more motivated than ever to get back on the field and give his new country friends something to cheer about when they watch him pull on a jersey again.
“I guess to reach out and participate in those activities is pretty special because I probably would have never seen those communities if it wasn’t for these programs,” he said.
“I was glad I was able to experience the Road to Regions tour because being able to visit schools that only had about 20 kids, I’m sure it's going to last a long time for them.
Seeing their passion for the sport has definitely ignited my motivation to get through my rehab and get back on the field as soon as I can
Daejarn Asi Parramatta Eels centre
Panthers Wellbeing and Education Coordinator and former NRL star Joe Galuvao, who joined Asi on the Road to Regions trip, said it was important to make the NRL's presence felt in regional NSW.
"It’s important for the NRL to not just be seen from a distance on television screens but to actually be on the ground and see what the floods have done and talk to the community," Galuvao told NRL.com.
"After what’s happened, sport is a great vehicle for change and being able to give a different focus or distraction for these people. But we’re also teaching skills and values that are important to build healthy, successful teams and communities.
"Daejarn is at the beginning of his career so it’s important he can see the great work the game does not only in Sydney but also in these regional areas. It gives him a greater appreciation to play the game and the clubs they represent."