If you happen to come across him in the street, or at the Rugby prior to him taking the field, you’d better spare yourself the next hour.
Corey Nicholson is one of the most passionate men you’ll ever have the privilege to meet.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s about selling stock, playing sport or his beloved family, Nicholson is never short of a word.
All jokes aside, the nuggety hooker for the Cootamundra Tricolours in this weekend’s SouthWest Oilsplus Grand Final is one player who more than deserves the sweet taste of premiership success.
In most recent memory, Corey was a driving force behind the fundraising and construction of the clubhouse that now sits proudly at Country Club Oval, but the hard work started long before then.
Moving to the town in 2012 to take up a job with loyal Tricolours supporter Steve Tolmie, Nicholson’s character ensured he would fit in with the townsfolk without a drama.
Tolmie’s influence was obviously strong, coming from a Rugby League background to become a player for Coota’s Rugby club, and wasting no time in putting his hand up to help away from the paddock by joining the committee in 2013.
After 2 years of making himself known to those who wanted to listen and even those who didn’t, Corey’s popularity started to become evident, voted in as Club Captain for seasons 2014 and 2015.
The following season Nicholson’s contributions to the club were recognised at Presentation Night, receiving the coveted Clubperson of the Year title.
Not happy with his efforts thus far, Corey teamed up with good mate, Josh Hudson, in early 2017 to form the clubs inaugural Women’s Rugby side, eventually handing the offical reins of the side over to Dave Tozer.
It was this same season Nicholson and his Tricolour team-mates would unfortunately be defeated by Blayney in the Grand Final, for the second successive time.
The loss in the season’s biggest game of 17’ would be the final game for a lot of long time Coota Rugby players, the club left to re-group in 2018 as Rugby League international Mark Elia agreed to take over the coaching role.
Nicholson’s never say die attitude and willingness to get in and do the selfless, dirty work must have done enough to win some admiration from the decorated kiwi, Elia naming Corey as the side’s captain in a tough season that without such leadership that the skipper brought, the club may have struggled to field a side.
The very next season culminated in a 55-12 premiership victory over this weekend’s rivals.
Although he would be the first to admit he certainly wasn’t one of the sides flashiest players in the 2019 triumph, Nicholson’s ability to create such good camaraderie amongst the group was a big part of the side’s unbeaten success.
Once you become a member of a proud club such as the Tricolours, you do anything to remain a part of that connection and despite having to travel for training and even home games, it’s evident Corey would spill blood, sweat and tears whenever needed for the mighty Coota Rugby club and when he did bleed, you can assure it would be streams of red, black and yellow for the second highest capped player in Saturday’s squad, Issac Mitchell the only member of the side believed to have played more games.
The ultimate compliment for a player in a team sport, is being a guy everyone else wants to play with. That man is Corey Nicholson.
For a coach, the ultimate player is one who is willing to do the things no-one else wants to and with minimal fuss.
That man is Corey Nicholson.
When quizzed about Nicholson’s season in 2021, experienced coach Mitch Wakeford, said he has been super impressed with how he has gone about his business and expects him to continue that rich vein of form into this weekend’s battle for the Holy Grail of South West Rugby.
“Corey’s contribution to the club over the last few years has been second to none.
He gives a huge amount of his own time off the field that a lot of people do not see.
He’s the type of fella every club needs.
He drives a lot of the sponsorship and is very well respected within the community.
Within the team he’s been a driving force for a number of years, he only has one gear and he really applies himself to everything we work on at training.
To be honest this year has probably been his best yet.
He just knuckles down and does a lot of the ugly stuff for us.
He’s willing to learn but most of all he’s willing to work hard.
Cam and I appreciate what he brings to the team and I know the boys do also.”
If when the final whistle blows at Country Club Oval on Saturday afternoon and the Cootamundra Tricolours are crowned premiers, you can bet your bottom dollar their number two has got through a mountain of work, will most certainly be leading ‘You are my sunshine’ and then will be looking for that first victim to yarn to.
The man that loves talking so much he’s often known as Storey Nicholson lives and breathes Cootamundra Rugby.
He deserves this as much as anyone.
AB