Like everyone - even sports writers - Soward is far from perfect.

At times he comes across as arrogant, and a little full of his own self-importance.

This is not to say that we all can't be arrogant in own our way, and also get, or have, a rather swelled head.

Now, The Notebook is not suggesting Soward is guilty of either or both of these human failings.

However, even if he was, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Jamie Soward has done it tough enough without copping it from all and sundry about being like just about everybody else.

Those pointing their fingers at Soward - and there is no shortage of detractors - are obviously completely without blemish or totally oblivious to their personal frailties.

Soward cops it from all angles and for just about everything.

Even when he does something good - like kicking a field-goal to beat the Roosters - he gets pummelled for his trouble.

How on earth it can be a sin to upset Roosters supporters is utterly beyond comprehension.

Like the Sea Eagles, the Roosters are a team with few, if any, redeeming features.

It is easy to hate the Roosters and Sea Eagles - and, many say, so to Jamie Soward.

Yes, he sometimes comes across as someone with a tree-sized chip on his shoulder.

But why shouldn't he?

The critics have been tearing strips of him almost from the day he left Wagga to join the Canberra Raiders en route to the Roosters in 2005.

It's been a rough ride for Soward - the knockers have always had a field-day about his suspect defence.

They're probably right too - he'd never top a tackle count as long as his legs point to the ground.

By the way, this isn't a capital crime - just a part of a rugby league persona that doesn't fit the desired mould for a lot of people.

How about this?

For every tackle Jamie Soward might miss, fellow Wagga product Nigel Plum probably makes 20 bell-ringers.

Plum and Soward play together at Penrith and are within one game of playing in the NRL grand final next month.

And I'll bet those in Wagga who enjoy taking pot shots at Soward will quickly jump on the bandwagon when, or if, that happens.

There'll be more Panthers supporters to the square metre in Baylis Street than cigarette butts.

Rest assured, we'll also have a seemingly endless supply of people who will trot out their "favourite" Jamie Soward moment.

You know the guff - "Jamie and I went to primary school together"; "I gave Jamie his first pair of footy boots"; "I taught him how to pass the football".

Whatever it is, we all know the stories will mostly be unadulterated rubbish.

Unless, of course, the bloke doing the talking is Harry Power.

There can be no question Harry Power had a profound impact on Jamie Soward's' early development as a footballer.

Harry coached Soward in the juniors at Kangaroos and they formed a tremendous bond, which, so far as The Notebook knows, still survives.

Over the years the tight association between Power and Soward was on display for all to see.

On various occasions Soward would return to Wagga to make a presentation of his trademark headgear to a Roos team of Harry's choice.

This is fact - not some wild yarn made up to impress a few yobbo mates in the pub.

Soward cared, and made an effort to give something back to the club from which he launched his career - and to the bloke who gave him the inspiration to do it.

This is the Jamie Soward that Wagga should always remember - and respect.

He's never going to be glorified in the city like the Mortimers or Greg Brentnall.

He also doesn't deserve to be vilified either.

The world won't give Jamie Soward a break - maybe Wagga should.

Clarification: The Notebook has no intention of supporting the Panthers in any game this year or any future year. However, for the sake of all that is holy, let's hope the Cowboys and Bulldogs are the NRL winners this weekend.