You can take the boy out of Harden, but you can’t take Harden out of the boy. The catchcry ‘hit and spin Stewart’ will be heard at McLean Oval for the first time in 6 years when one of Harden’s favourite sons returns to the Harden Hawks for the 2015 season. Matthew Stewart has told the Twin Town Times he will sign on with the Harden Hawks for the remainder of the season so that he can fulfil a wish to finish off his playing days with the club he started with in 1990. Stewart was candid regarding his choice to come home to the Hawks. “Its just about playing with mates, I started playing Rugby League with blokes like Chris Beal and Luke Brown over 20 years ago as kids and I’ve made some great friendships over that time. There is no better time than now to play with mates that won’t be playing much longer, I’m not sure how much longer I will be playing for either.” Stewart or ‘Stewy’ as he is known, is a life long lover of Rugby League. The 29 year old started his career with the Harden Hawks nearly 25 years ago as a 5 year old with Harden Junior League. He made the transition from juniors to seniors and spent time doing his best along with others to keep the Harden Hawks in the Group 9 competition in the early 2000s, when player numbers were low and Group 9 were less than understanding of Harden’s cause. He played above his weight during this time leaving his mark and earning the respect of rivals. Stewart left for England in 2007 and spent that year and the next playing in Huddersfield with fellow Hawk Chris Beal, before returning home in 2009 where he played a crucial role for the Hawks in their Grand Final win over Bungendore. He injured his knee during the first half of the match, which required a knee reconstruction the following year. The injury didn’t prevent him from finishing the match. He strapped it up and played on in the second half with a noticeable limp. The writer of this piece was in the dressing sheds at half time and actually questioned if Stewart should continue on with such an injury, he replied “Its already stuffed, I might as well finish the game.” This sort of toughness is synonymous with Stewart’s playing style. He does not take a backward step. He has the ability to ‘stiffen’ up the centre of the field as a Prop or play wider in the Backrow, passing and offloading at will. He has never boasted or bragged about his footballing exploits, he just heads out on to the field and does his job week in and week out. His ability to encourage and inspire his fellow players is why everyone who plays with ‘Stewy’ loves playing with him. There are not too many players that like playing against him. Stewart will no doubt be a very helpful addition to Mick Quinn’s squad for the rest of the year. Quinn was finishing his career when Stewart was commencing his, and the two lined up next to each other for several years during the Hawks’ last years in the Group 9 competition. Stewart has seen plenty of success over the last few years with a premiership with the Hawks in 2009 and consecutive premierships with West Wyalong in Group 20 in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, Wyalong were beaten in the Major Semi Final and they went on to win every game in 2014 before losing the big one. Stewart said “I will do my best to get home when and where they need me.” He currently runs his own contract Harvesting and Haulage business in West Wyalong and is married to wife Allirah, the couple have a daughter, Maive. The Harden Hawks will travel to Canberra to face the Australian Defence Force Academy on Saturday before they have a week off over the June Long Weekend. The Hawks will then have 3 consecutive home games on the 13th, 20th and 27th of June. Make sure you get to Mclean Oval to welcome back Matty Stewart to the Twin Towns.