Football great Ronny'Rambo' Gibbs remains a fierce sportsman who inspires young people

A fearsome rugby league star with the nickname 'Rambo', Gibbs won a premiership during his time with Manly while he also played in England and represented NSW Country during his career.

Nowadays, the 60-year-old remains as hard at work as ever after he chose to dedicate his life to inspiring young people in the bush to turn a corner.

"I am like a social worker doing everything or anything that comes with it ... and I don't just do Aboriginal kids, I do all communities, I don't leave anyone out," Mr Gibbs said.

"Whether kids or elderly, black or white, I try to educate both sides of the wider community, the whole lot of them."

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Mr Gibbs retired from playing professional rugby more than three decades ago after several injuries yet his connections with the game remains.

Being a football great with the Wests, Easts, Manly, and Gold Coast, and as an Indigenous man, Mr Gibbs said it was rugby league that became a "vehicle" in his work as a sports development officer for the NSW department of sports and recreation.

"I am in the community and hearing people including times they whine and got problems, I am the one man in the middle who tries to help, " Mr Gibbs said.

"I can't fix everything, I don't have a magic wand but I try to find where I can get things done, so you could say I am the hands-on man."

In his role, Mr Gibbs has the rare opportunity to step into the lives of people wherever they may be situated, particularly those in the remotest parts of the far west.

Born in Brewarrina to a Ngemba mother, Dawn, who is now nearly 80 and still lives there, and a Baarkindji father, Brian, who passed away six years ago, and growing up in Bourke in the far west, Mr Gibbs said he has seen disparities among Australians.

"I've been here in Dubbo for over 30 years and I think I've seen nearly 60 per cent of this state from Broken Hill to the border to South Australia, to Queensland and Brewarrina through to the towns right down to Coonamble and Gilgandra," Mr Gibbs said.

"I've visited schools, jails, juvenile justice centres and anywhere I could get the message through because others just seem to look after their patch even if we all deal with the same problems.

"I've been fortunate in my life I'm still in the game and able to help out young boys and girls through sports. Whether it's fitness for health education and a healthy lifestyle, watch what you eat and drink, don't smoke.

"That's what I do that gets me up in the morning ... I go to work and don't sit back. They need a bit of motivation and my role is to try and help out someone every day"

His passion to turn a troubled life around through youth sports clinics such as the Ronny Gibbs Sevens Tournaments and supporting the Far West Academy of Sport, was recognised at the Dubbo Day Awards last year when he received the 2021 Tony McGrane Award.

"It was a bloody, bloody honour to win it. The 14 other candidates deserve it too but unfortunately, it came down to one and I must have got the vote for it," Mr Gibbs said humbly.

"It's an honour to receive the award named after the former Lord Mayor who was a very close friend of mine."

Mr Gibbs said he had been tapped on the shoulder to assist in many roles for the community but declined because he has already found his calling.

"I try to do my little bit and they know and see that I care about it. I don't go out there to shake hands and tell them how good it is," he said.

"I go to schools and streets and shake hands with the kids at least five or more times, touch base with them and listen ... it will be a lot better place for all of us."