To the untrained eye, it may have looked like Shaun McHugh was just spending some time on the wing to catch his breath.
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But a simple, yet brilliant, play late in the first half of Sunday's Caldwell Cup decider showed the sheer skill and awareness the Dubbo Kangaroos' stalwart possesses.
After packing down in a scrum on the Central West 30m line, McHugh floated out on to the right wing and up the field when he was one of the very few who could tell what was going to happen next at Tamworth's Scully Park.
While the play floated to the left, flyhalf Mahe Fangupo switched it back to the inside with a short ball to barnstorming centre Filisione Pauta.
Pauta flew through a hole and towards the tryline and when he came up against the Illawarra fullback the one player there in support was McHugh.
The veteran back-rower collected the pass from Pauta, drew in the defence and still had the ability to throw a one-handed pass back to the Geurie star while heading to the sideline, leaving the simplest of finishes.
"He had the vision to see what was going to happen 10 seconds before it did," Central West captain Mark Baldwin said after his side won the final, praising his Roos teammate.
"He was absolutely instrumental today. He gets better with age, like a fine wine.
"He's not the youngest in the team but he just knows where to be and reads the game so well.
"Not many can do what he can."
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McHugh was immense in Sunday's title win, popping up all over the park, scoring one try, and continually putting his body on the line as part of a forward pack which set the platform in the 45-21 demolition of Illawarra.
The victory was all set-up by a brilliant first half showing, with McHugh and Pauta combining for the last of five tries in the opening 40 minutes.
Baldwin raved about that showing post-game, and McHugh was as equally delighted with the way his side started the game.
"That first 40 minutes was the best 40 of football we've played as a group and I reckon probably best 40 minutes we've played individually as players," McHugh said.
"The whole 15 stood up and when the bench came on they really stood up as well."
This group of blokes is fantastic and it makes you really enjoy football.
- Shaun McHugh
This year marked the first since 2005 McHugh had represented the Blue Bulls, but after seeing Central West get beaten in last season's Caldwell Cup decider he put his hand up again.
Coach Dean Oxley was more than happy to rangy back-rower return to the fold, and he quickly became a key leader in the side.
The respect the group and coaching staff have for McHugh was obvious when he received a rousing cheer after being substituted inside the final five minutes of Sunday's final.
"I've got a bit of age on me," the Dubbo Kangaroos captain joked.
"But I bloody love it to be honest. This group of blokes is fantastic and it makes you really enjoy football when you play at a level like this and in a game like we executed today."
The win was extra special for McHugh as he grew up and played his junior rugby in Tamworth.
Now a stalwart at Dubbo Kangaroos, McHugh last played for the Tamworth Magpies in 2004.
Scully Park wasn't the pristine playing surface it is now when he was cutting his teeth as a youngster, but the city still holds special memories.
"Dad's in the crowd, which is great. He doesn't get to see many games of footy anymore so it was great to have him here and great to have a win in Tamworth," McHugh said.