Blayney Golf Club’s NRL Grand Final Star

It will be Liam Henry’s 27^th cap in his professional rugby league career. Just a few years ago he was playing junior footy for the Blayney Bears and collecting a plethora of trophies at presentation nights at Blayney Golf Club.

Known to the regulars as ‘smiley’ (and to Panthers teammates ‘horse’ for his work ethic), Henry regularly heads back to play 18 holes and socialises with the locals, including his father and grandfather, at the Club. 

He played for the Bears from under 6s right up until he was signed by the NRL team and made the move to Penrith in his late teens to play in the Jersey Flegg under 20’s competition.

Blayney Golf Club Secretary Lisa Oborn was also Secretary of the Bears throughout Henry’s time there. She says he comes back to the town and the Club whenever he gets the chance.

“Whenever the Panthers have the bye or have some time off during the week, he will come back to Blayney,” she says. 

Henry’s family still live in town and his dad is also a regular at the Club.

In 2022, Liam made his first-grade debut against the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville.

“Half of Blayney flew off to Townsville to watch him play,” says Lisa.

Lisa has decked out Blayney Golf Club in Panthers colours for Sunday, as they cheer on the local boy that Lisa has known “pretty much since he was born”.

To repay the favour to the Club for showing so much support, Liam was kind enough to model the venue’s new range of merchandise.

No matter how far his rugby league career takes him, to Lisa and the regulars at Blayney Golf Club, he’ll always be the “humble young country kid” known as smiley.