Less than a month into his first Australian adventure, Gunnedah-based Englishman Leo Mortimer is intent on taking a big bite out of his new home.

"Say yes to it all, that's my plan, and see where it goes," the 24-year-old told the Leader, after playing fly-half for the Red Devils in a last-gasp loss to Pirates on a fine autumn afternoon at Rugby Park in Gunnedah.

In the bumper crowd, shaded by a tree, were Mortimer's father, sister, brother and girlfriend. It was also their first trip to Australia - their visit a brief one.

But for the reason for their sojourn to the other side of the world, the length of his stay is being left "open" - although at this stage, he is signed to Gunnedah for only one season.

"But we'll see," he said. "It's only been two weeks. I'm getting pretty easily persuaded by Gunnedah."

Mortimer hails from Bedford, a market town just to the north of London. In 2019, it had a population of 173,000.

"There's a lot of similarities," he said of his hometown and Gunnedah.

Mortimer had spent the past year working in London's insurance sector, having studied international finance and banking at university in Leeds.

On the day he made his Red Devils debut, his English club side Bedford Athletic concluded their season.

Prior to leaving for Australia last month, he had been the Athletic's first-grade No. 10 - his association with Gunnedah forged after a player agent introduced him to the side's former coach and current board member, Dan Martin.

Now working in allocation at GBP Cranes in Gunnedah, Mortimer said Martin "sold" him "the dream of this place".

"And I was keen, keen as," he said, adding that he was "loving" his new environment.

"It's kind of the first summer where I haven't had any exams," he continued. "So I thought I'd take the chance to come out here and play on nice sunny days like this".

Mortimer said he planned to experience as much as he could - "and get stuck into everything, really".