Robert Lane (ball) from Goodooga pictured with teammates. Source: Simon Bullard / Supplied
ROBERT Lane hails from Australia's most boring town.
"Yeah, that tag was lumped on Goodooga in '81,'' the Aboriginal schoolboy grins. "I wasn't even born but since then we've lost the service station, which had one petrol pump, and a shop too.
"So I guess most people probably think we've only gone downhill."
Speaking with The Daily Telegraph in his favourite Goodooga t-shirt, Lane is the living, breathing, smiling proof that rugby league may truly be the greatest game of all.
Still only 16, and hailing from a family that has never travelled overseas, this gifted young fullback now heads a team of indigenous schoolboys who, as you read this, have landed in the United Kingdom for a three-game tour of both England and France - the first of their kind to ever do so.
It's why, suddenly, Goodooga isn't so boring anymore.
Hasn't been for the past three months as, following the announcement that one of their own had made it, the tiny community of 250 rallied in the form of meat raffles, 100 clubs, even anonymous donations from property owners to get their boy on that plane.
It's been a similar story for schoolboys from Cargo, Condobolin and Lake Cargelico. Kangaroo superstar Greg Inglis gave three grand from his own pocket so the entire squad can visit Euro Disney.
Robert Lane (ball) from Goodooga pictured with teammates. Source: Supplied
"So I really hope we get to meet GI over there,'' Lane said. "Just so I can shake his hand and say thanks.
"It's been the same out home, I can't even walk down the street without someone wanting to cuddle or kiss me.
"There's a wonderful sense of community in Goodooga and everyone is so proud when one of their own do well.
"Even the boys in the senior footy side, they're always telling me 'chase your dreams'.''
"Chasing the dream" is exactly what Lane has been doing since 13 when he was offered a scholarship to Nudgee College in Brisbane.
Back in 1981, Goodooga was classified by the ABC as the most boring town in Australia. It's said a local wrote to the ABC explaining how the highlight of their day was to visit the servo and see if the numbers on the petrol pump had changed from the day before.
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