A meet-and-greet with world champion lawn bowler Aron Sherriff at Moree Services Club on Friday afternoon was the perfect ice-breaker to a trial match between Moree Magpies and  Broadbeach Bulls today.

Sherriff, currently ranked No.1 in the world and a six-times Australian singles champion, held a coaching clinic yesterday between photo-ops with local bowlers and fans at the club’s city-class undercover, all-weather bowls complex.

“It’s an amazing facility, and looks incredible – first impressions are pretty bloody good,” Sherriff smiled.

“I’m looking forward to getting out and doing some training and playing on Saturday. It’s a great club with great people,” he said.

Sherriff’s visit to Moree is the work of Moree brothers, Phil and Peter Hobday.

Phil, recently appointed Moree Services Club bowls co-ordinator, said having Sherriff on the greens was a huge boost for the sport in Moree.

“Having Aron her is wonderful for our little town,” Phil said.

“He’s world No.1 at the moment and six-times Australian champion. You don’t get that every day of the week – it’s absolutely brilliant having him in Moree.

“He’s a great bloke and has done a wonderful job talking to everyone and coaching the bowlers,” he said.

(from left) brother Peter and Phil Hobday, Moree Services Club CEO Rob Shields, world champion bowler Aron Sherriff, Moree Magpies president Wayne Tighe and Moree Services Club board president, Gary Maidens.

Peter Hobday has been mates with Sherriff for more than 20 years. They’ve met him plenty of times on bowling greens across New South Wales and Queensland.

“I’ve known Aron from back in our days on the Central Coast, when I was playing Zone 3,” Peter said.

“I played a lot with Aron back then. When I went to the Gold Coast, Aron moved from Helensvale to Broadbeach and our friendship grew from there.

Peter has nothing but admiration for his good mate and rival.

“People dream about winning an Australian Open in lawn bowls – Aron’s won the Australian open the last three years in a row and has been ranked world No.1 the last two years,” he said.

“Two years ago he won gold in the world fours and triples, so he’s a pretty elite sort of bowler.

“All the top bowlers call him the GOAT, even the blokes that are the best in the world like Alex Marshall, Paul Foster and Ryan Bester.

“They’ll all tell you Aron Sherriff is the best bowler in the world,” he said.

While Peter is himself a top-class bowler, winning the State District Mixed Pairs final in Queensland two years ago with Liz Walton among an endless list of big titles, he says beating the likes of Aron Sherriff is a “near-impossibility”.

“I’ve played Aron a fair bit, and I might beat him in a Wednesday afternoon chook-run, but not in anything that counts,” he laughed.