Standing in the Australian jersey with his teammates as they watched the New Zealand Defence Force rugby league team perform the haka, Lance Corporal Timothy Muhamad felt connected to his home in the Torres Strait.
"Seeing their passion for Maori warrior heritage is something I really relate to," Lance Corporal Muhamad said.
"My fiancé and four children all have Maori heritage and one of my son's favourite things is watching the haka before big games."
After facing down the haka ahead of the Anzac Day ADF v NZDF match at Sydney Stadium, Lance Corporal Muhamad reflected on the fact he was in the last stages of his playing career.
Growing up on Thursday Island he didn't get the chance to start playing footy until under-12s, as there wasn't much local support.
These days a lot has changed, with more programs provided by the National Rugby League helping grassroots footy.
Torres Strait Islanders live and breathe rugby league. It's part of who they are and is woven deep into their community fabric.
When he was 15, Lance Corporal Muhamad attended boarding school at St Augustine's College in Cairns, which is when his footy world really opened up.
'I got goose bumps from head to toe going into that game against the Kiwis - waiting for that first hit-up, that first touch of the ball and first tackle.'
Playing regular games in a school-boy competition ignited his passion to keep playing.
Lance Corporal Muhamad went on to play for Ivanhoe Knights A-Grade side in the Cairns competition.
In 2010 he joined Army after completing a carpenter apprenticeship, spending a short time as a gunner at 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, before transferring to become a sapper at 1st Combat Engineer Regiment.
Having spent the majority of his career in Darwin, Lance Corporal Muhamad has been involved in re-enactments of the World War 2 bombing of Darwin.
"Having moved to the territory and learning about the bombings of the harbour, and finding out it was bombed heavier than Pearl Harbor, really shows how close the war got," he said.
"It taught me a lot and I want to try to educate others about our history, especially on what happened up north."
Lance Corporal Muhamad has enjoyed his playing career and is looking forward to taking on a coaching and mentoring role.
"I got goose bumps from head to toe going into that game against the Kiwis - waiting for that first hit-up, that first touch of the ball and first tackle," he said.
After the game he swapped his jersey with opposing second rower Petty Officer Kauri Harema, of the Royal New Zealand Navy.
"Getting to swap my jersey to give to my fiancé and kids meant a lot," he said.
