Lachlan Jackwitz's life reads a bit like the 1962 hit song 'I've Been Everywhere'.
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It's been a pretty nomadic existence to now for the 19-year-old as job opportunities have taken his mine worker-father and nurse-mother around the country and overseas.
Moving up to Tamworth from Melbourne, at some time or another he has lived somewhere in every state in Australia, bar the ACT.
He also spent four years, spread over two stints, in Laos.
"When I did the final count a little while ago, I think the total amount of schools I went to was about 21 or 22," Jackwitz reflected.
The four years in Laos were for his dad, but the majority have been his mum just "wanting to move".
"She loves that nomadic sort of lifestyle," he said.
It made for a childhood rich in experiences, but one where it was hard to really immerse yourself in a community.
Which is what he's hoping to do in Tamworth.
It's why when his mum was offered a job at Newcastle and his parents decided to move down there, the Magpies half-back opted to stay.
"I obviously had the opportunity to go with my parents to Newcastle but I figured now that I've got footy and work here I thought I'd stay and sort of plant some roots down to be honest," Jackwitz said.
Not the first time he's lived outside the city, he touched on the close-knit community feeling as the thing that he most enjoys about Tamworth.
"It's a lot smaller compared to a lot of the places I've lived," he said.
"But everyone sort of knows everyone, everyone's a friend of a friend.
"I haven't met one person that doesn't already know someone I know."
In the Magpies too he has found that sense of community.
Having most recently played league, Jackwitz, who is an apprentice mechanic at JT Fossey, originally intended to continue with that and started training with the North Tamworth Bears.
But he "wasn't really feeling it" with them, so after learning about the Magpies thought he'd give rugby another crack - he'd played a bit over the years after getting his first taste when he was living in Darwin.
"They'd have the games on at eight o'clock at night but it would still be 30 degrees and 100 per cent humidity," he reflected of that experience.
So, he started training with the Magpies and "sort of fell in love with the team and all the boys there".
"I showed up to the first pre-season training and haven't looked back," he said.
On Saturday he and the Magpies, who are coming off a last round draw against Barbarians, will continue their hunt for their first win when they host St Albert's.
The two-time defending champions are also yet to post a win in 2024.
