Adam Clydsdale might be letting his wife, three-time NRLW grand final winner Yasmin Clydsdale shine these days, but he’s certainly played his fair share of NRL and helped the Scone Thoroughbreds to their last five grand final wins.

Adam started kicking the footy around when he was 6 years old. He showed talent early and his hard work paid off when he received a letter from the Newcastle Knights eight years later.

“I clearly remember getting a letter that offered me the trial. There were four of us Scone boys and we were all lucky enough to make it through to the junior squad.

“It was a huge sacrifice for our parents to drive us down and give us the chance to do it.

“We did that, and then I had a year playing First Grade for Scone when I was 17. Eventually I moved to Newcastle with another mate and we played under-20s SG Ball together which was great,” Adam reflected.

Adam was working as a builder in Newcastle when he got the call to debut for the Knights NRL side.

“My under-20s coach Mick Crawley called me and asked what I was doing the following day. I was just working, and he said, ‘is there any chance you can come to Knights training, you’re debuting this weekend’.

“I think the first person I called was my brother and he cried, then I was crying, it was surreal.

“It was a lifelong dream come true. I grew up watching the Knights and Danny Buderus was always my favourite so to then be coached by him was unreal.”

Adam spent three years with the Knights, before leaving part way through the last year of his contract to play for the Canberra Raiders and then ended up at Cronulla.

After a year with the Sharks Adam went back to Canberra for pre-season but it was then that he decided he wanted to retire.

“I had done it professionally for about six years and my heart just wasn’t in it anymore. When you know you know, and I knew it was time to head back home.”

Adam didn’t hang up the footy boots entirely, he had a year in Newcastle Rugby League with the Maitland Pickers and before that started working in the mines.

“My mum worked at Bengalla, she’s been an operator there for 25 years now, so she got me a foot in the door as an operator out there. It sounds cheesey but it’s a lot like a sporting team out there – great culture and great people.

“In 2019 I moved back to Scone, and I’ve played for the Thoroughbreds in Hunter Valley Group 21 Rugby League ever since.

“We’ve won five consecutive grand finals, but I have decided to retire this year. It’s hard working in the mines and trying to play footy and watch my wife Yasmin play with the Knights in the NRLW. I missed a lot of her games last year and my younger brother is down in Canberra, so I’d like to watch him a bit more too.”

There are plenty of career highlights for Adam but it’s a local game that he will always put at the top of the list.

“My most memorable game was with the Thoroughbreds. In 2022, I was Captain-Coach and played with both my brothers, Jake and Luke, that year. Not only did we win the grand final, but we also won the Clayton Cup (pictured above). It’s for the best team in NSW Rugby League that goes undefeated.

“Scone has won it twice, in 2022 and in 1979 which is when my dad was playing for the side so that made it even more special.”