AS a dual international, Timana Tahu was renown for speaking his mind and sticking true to his convictions.
Even if it meant attracting negative attention for himself.
In 2010 he famously quit the NSW State Of Origin camp after Blues assistant coach and Tahu's former Knights teammate, Andrew Johns, made a racist comment about Queensland Indigenous star, Greg Inglis.
Tahu, unfairly, copped the brunt of criticism by daring to criticise a legend of rugby league. But it showed that defending his Aboriginal heritage was of far greater importance than any representative jumper.
The 42-year-old may have retired from the NRL in 2014 after playing 196 first-grade games for the Newcastle Knights, Parramatta Eels and Penrith Panthers, but he remains a vocal advocate for Indigenous footballers.
For the past four years Tahu has been a panellist on rugby league program Over The Black Dot on free-to-air channel National Indigenous Television (NITV), with fellow former NRL star Dean Widders and women's touch rugby international Bo de la Cruz.
"We get to focus on Indigenous athletes and what's happening in the communities whether it be Koori or Murri Knockout or local teams," Tahu says.
"It's different to the NRL's Fox Sports footy shows and the Channel Nine footy shows. We try to come at the fans and the community with no negative talk or slandering players, it's more a bit of light information."
Tahu also works for the NRL as the senior manager of elite Indigenous pathways where he helps to up-skill coaches for the top level.
"We use Ronny Griffiths as our model," he says. "He's the NRLW coach for the Newcastle Knights, but the plan is with him being the Indigenous All-Stars coach and coaching at the elite level with elite athletes, that it helps him with his credentials in transitioning and hopefully him being an Aboriginal head coach in the NRL."
For Tahu rugby league and Indigenous communities enjoy a symbiotic relationship.
He points to the annual NSW Koori Knockout, and its Queensland equivalent the Murri Carnival, as the 13-man code's unique ability to bring Indigenous communities together in difficult times.
"These teams don't always have the finances to get together and get to a tournament," he says. "There's travel, food and accommodation, it's a hard slog.
"But the community members get together and they rally and make a week out of it by getting themselves to the knockout for that respect and honour.
"Some of them are not the best teams, they're just make-up sides, but I just love their passion and how they get on the field and take on NRL stars and ex-NRL stars and NSW Cup and first division players.
"To me, rugby league brings a lot to our communities, not only to the players who get to make a lot of money and make it a job - it's something that kids, both male and female, get to aspire to be."
Indigenous players have long brought unique qualities to rugby league. Players like Arthur Beetson are among the greatest to ever strap on a boot, and modern footballers like Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr, Jack Wighton and Cody Walker are among the top echelon of NRL stars.
"Indigenous athletes bring excitement, and when they're under pressure you see them perform," he says.
"An example was at the World Cup. About 24 points of the 30 that Australia scored [in the final against Samoa], Addo-Carr, Mitchell and Wighton, were involved in them. It just shows the importance of having Indigenous athletes in the NRL."
Tahu represented Australia at both rugby league and rugby union, but he's best remembered for his time at the Knights where he tasted premiership glory in 2001 and formed a lethal centre-wing partnership with Matt Gidley.
The Knights are still held dear by Tahu and he was disappointed to see the club lose boom English winger Dom Young to the Roosters.
He's also pessimistic about how Newcastle will bounce back from last season's horrific 14th place with Kalyn Ponga at five-eighth.
"That's going to be a challenge to see what he's gonna be doing this year at five-eighth," Tahu says. "I see him as a fullback. I see him as a floating fullback and a back that needs the ball when he calls for it and he can make things happen.
"I don't know how much he can do himself in the defensive line. In the first five rounds everyone is going to see that and we'll see if [coach Adam] O'Brien has it right, if that's the position for him."
Over The Black Dot returns on Tuesday at 8.30pm on NITV.
