As a former NSW Country captain turned manager with more than a decade of experience, Waterford knows rugby union talent when he sees it.

While Waterford is now NSW Country's senior program manager, he still manages the Cockatoos. It means he'll work alongside coach Dean Oxley.

"I've been Country Cockatoos manager since 2012 and that's where my passion is, I love it," Waterford said.

"I've gone full circle. I've played with Dean, been coached by Dean, I've coached with Dean and now we get to work together at the highest level of bush footy.

"So there's definitely a relationship there, I've known him for 30 years, he was in charge of me at Stannies in Year 7, that's how long I've known Dean.

"It's just awesome to see Fox [Oxley] there. It's brilliant to see a bloke who is so full on and passionate and fanatical about his rugby actually going through the steps of club footy, zone footy, now he gets the opportunity at country level because he's been successful where he's gone."

As Waterford points out, Oxley has found good success. He's guided the Bathurst Bulldogs first XV to a pair of Blowes Cup premierships and he's also helped the Central West Blue Bulls to Caldwell Cup glory twice.

Waterford, who played in the second row for the Blue Bulls under Oxley in 2010, thinks the coach could use the NSW Country role as a stepping stone to something even bigger too.

"It's all about opportunities and pathways for players, managers, coaches, physios etcetera and Dean is just fortunate he's got his opportunity," he said.

"Look don't be surprised if he ends up in Japan or somewhere like that in 10 years time coaching, nothing would surprise me."

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There are plenty of other Central West representatives who have impressed the former NSW Country player of the year.

It is a depth of talent which saw Central West make the women's, open men's and colts finals at the 2022 Country Championships and win two of them.

"I think a majority of the Corellas side this year were Central West girls and I think there were seven or eight players from the Central West that played in the Country Cockatoos side," he said.

"At Country Champs we [Central West] won nine of the 10 games available, the 10^th game we lost in an over-time thriller by three points in probably one of the best games ever in Caldwell Cup history.

"So Central West, and it was driven by Matt Tink, are definitely on top of their game at the moment and hopefully that trend continues.

"You look at someone like Filisone Pauta, he's just class and when you put him in an environment where they are players of equivalent standard you understand how good he is, he's phenomenal.

"The young fellah from West Wyalong, Tom Ray, just a raw, big boned kid, plenty of ticker, he's another one I like watching.

"They don't realise how good they are or how close they are to making it. With a bit of work they could go anywhere they want to."

As for Waterford, he'll keep enjoying the chance to work with some of the finest players from right across the country regions of the state.

"Country rugby, it's the spirit of the bush, the Aussie battler type thing, that's the way we look at it," he said.

"We get the cream of the crop, blokes that are all willing and keen and want to put the effort in the be there."

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