Alan Tongue became a Canberra Raiders cult hero because of his red hair and gutsy determination, but his big heart put him on the verge of a much higher status on Wednesday night.
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Former Raiders captain Tongue was a finalist in the Australian of the Year awards at Parliament House, which was won by biomedical scientist and stem cell pioneer Alan Mackay-Sim.
But the legacy he left at the Raiders and his work with at-risk youths around the capital still resonates with a new group of players at the Green Machine.
Tongue, the ACT Australian of the Year, led the list of Canberrans receiving Australia Day honours, with several of the city's elite sportspeople to be recognised on Thursday.
Olympic Games champion rower Kim Brennan will be appointed a Member of the Order of Australia while Australian sevens captain Sharni Williams was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal.
Queanbeyan's retired Formula One driver Mark Webber was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Tongue was one of the most respected players in the NRL during his 220-game career and is now helping the next generation get their lives on track.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has been instrumental in getting his players to recognise the history in their lime-green jerseys, plastering posters of ex-stars around the club's headquarters.
There are just two players on the Raiders roster who played with Tongue, who retired in 2011, but captain Jarrod Croker says his legacy as a red-headed toughnut lives on.
"For the size of him, he was one of the toughest blokes I ever played with," Croker said.
"Guys like that, that made you want to come back every week and pull that green jersey on. That's what it was all about.
"I was only 18 years old and to see that happening ... guys like that are the leaders you want.
"You play for guys like that every week now. You see guys like Tonguey who still absolutely bleed green ... to be able to play for them is a bit of a motivator."
Croker and Shaun Fensom are the last remaining links to the Tongue era, where he set the standard as the heart and soul of the Green Machine.
Coaches told Tongue he was too small to play in the NRL and urged him to continue his mechanic apprenticeship to give him another option in life.
He uses that journey to help kids around the capital, telling them they can achieve their goals if they focus.
Tongue has mentored juvenile offenders and set up programs at the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre and Alaxander Maconochie Centre. He also works with disengaged youths in Canberra schools.
Croker is forging his own legacy as a Raiders leader, guiding the team to their best season since 1995 last year.
The point-scoring machine is still making his comeback from a knee injury and is unlikely to be included in the club's squad for the Auckland Nines.
The Raiders will unveil their Nines squad on Friday with the club set to give a host of rising stars a chance to impress while their NRL squad recovers from injury.
Dave Taylor is still aiming to impress to win a contract but the former Queensland State of Origin representative is likely to get his chance in a pre-season trial rather than at the Auckland Nines.
But regardless of age or experience, Croker says the history of the Green Machine is now ingrained in every player.
"It makes it more special knowing how much [former players] enjoy watching us run out there," Croker said.
"Tonguey always asks if I need any help or any advice. Tonguey's just an all-round nice guy, he'd do anything for this club or for his players.
"That's why he's still so well respected around the place and we want to be a part of that history."
