The reigning back-to-back men's champions are keenly preparing for the biggest Koori Knockout in its 54-year history, and, according to a Dally M medallist, the "hardest footy you can play".
Walgett Aboriginal Connection will host the carnival, often called 'one big corroboree', on Gomeroi country at Riverside Sporting Complex, Tamworth over the traditional October long weekend.
170 teams have already signed up to compete, something WAC say is a record-breaking number.
"I knew Tamworth was a great regional city that would create interest, but to see the popularity already with over 170 teams and that could keep climbing too, win or lose this knockout is going to be one for the memories," WAC veteran and former 150 game NRL fan favourite George Rose said this week.
"I grew up on Knockout footy, travelling around NSW watching the best footy you will ever see, I slept in the car for my first knockout in Armidale, we've camped, slept on cousins floors, and shared motels over the years, anything to get to the Knockout. There's a lot of Walgett fellas living in Tamworth now and I bet they all have full houses locked in for Knockout weekend already."
Rose said "there is no weekend like Knockout weekend, walking around the grounds seeing the family, new faces, old faces, celebrities and the black fulla famous", before he tests his legs on going around again in 2025, "its hard to say no to playing in the biggest knockout ever", whether that's with WAC or "anyone who will throw me a jersey".
Nominations for teams to feature in Tamworth remain open until September 19.
That's across men's, women's and junior draws, with a hard cap on the men's at 64 sides.
Outfits appearing call all corners of the state home; from the Tweed in the north, Yuin Country in the south, Wilcannia and Wagga in the west and the metro Sydney mainstays.
WAC director Geoff Simpson is looking forward to a "country music festival" type atmosphere with music acts locked in to complement the footy.
Simpson won Knockouts as a player in 1988, '89 and '90.
The Walgett side went back-to-back in the men's draw at Bathurst last year getting over Nanima Common Connection in the final. Redfern All Blacks made amends for a heartbreaking drop-goal 2023 final loss to claim women's draw honours.
The previous year's men's winners take on hosting rights for the following Knockout.
On announcing Tamworth as its 2025 home in December, WAC's Matt Rose boasted his team are "undefeated on Gomeroi Country".
Knockout co-founder Uncle Bill Kennedy now calls Tamworth home.
"The Knockout is no longer a small football carnival or an Aboriginal community event, it is now a major sporting event on the New South Wales calendar," Uncle Bill said at the venue announcement.
"As founders, we're proud of the legacy we have left, but are also in awe of where our modern day leaders have taken the event and turned it into a showcase piece."
As far as the footy goes, 2012 Dally M Medallist Ben Barba said this week: "This is why this knockout is the best, not just because it's the hardest footy you can play, but the crowds and atmosphere at a Koori Knockout is the biggest."
In May, the Knockout's history and legacy was officially memorialised at its birthplace in Sydney's inner-west.
The unveiling of the NSW state plaque brought back memories for co-founder Uncle Bob Morgan, who detailed the pioneering carnival's origins to National Indigenous Times.
