Joel Thomson's description of his hometown, Ivanhoe, is fairly bleak.
''Just got a jail and a railway line,'' he says.
Thompson, 23, admits he could have ended up in one, if he hadn't got out on the other.
So as Thompson prepares to represent the Indigenous All Stars on Saturday night, for the third straight time, he doesn't underestimate the positive influence he may have on the kids growing up in his hometown, 800km west of Canberra. In particular, the kids on the Aboriginal mission.
''I remember, as a kid, [Artie Beetson] came up for a charity night. I remember just idolising him and seeing clips of him,'' Thompson said of the man for whom this All Stars clash is now named.
''He's a big part of the Aboriginal community and always had time for charities.
''We did it tough. I lived with my nan a fair bit, I was always around kids playing footy.
''I'm probably the only NRL footballer from that way so it means a big thing to them.''
So much so that his nan, Gloria Thompson, will leave the town of a couple of hundred people for the glitter strip of the Gold Coast to watch Saturday night's match.
''It's the first time she's ever been on a plane,'' Thompson says. ''She's pretty nervous, but it means a big thing to me to have her fly up.''
Thompson joins Canberra Raiders teammates Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and Travis Waddell in the Indigenous All Stars team, against Josh Dugan's NRL All Stars.
Thompson aims to use the match as an opportunity to work his way into the Raiders back row in 2012.
Thompson has started all but one of his 46 NRL matches in the centres, but has expressed his desire to return to the forwards.
Raiders recruit Shaun Berrigan is likely to start the season in the centres and the versatility he adds to Canberra's squad may enable Thompson to switch between the back row and centre.
''With injuries and different things I've had to move into the centres, but I really see myself as a second-rower.
''In the next year or two I want to cement a spot in first grade as a second-rower.''
Despite not rating his performance last year, Thompson was one of the Raiders' best in a forgettable season. He missed just three games through injury and earned selection in the NSW Country team.
He's added 4kg of muscle in the off-season and says he's never been better prepared for kick-off.
''I feel I didn't have the best year last year,'' he said.
''That's why I've pushed myself to train better and to have a full session under my belt and not miss a session.
''This is probably the best I've felt in my whole career fitness wise and strength wise and my groin's feeling 100 per cent, so I'm looking to have a big year.''
Thompson's changes have not only been on the field.
On Christmas Eve he became engaged to girlfriend Amy Martyn.
Admitting he enjoyed a party lifestyle early in his career, Thompson says he's now revelling in a more settled environment.
''I've had my party days and I thought I'm not going to get a better girl than this, so it was time to settle down,'' he says.
''It's definitely good for me. It's good to have a stable home and to have a good girl like her to look after me.''
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