Waratahs and Eastern Suburbs halfback Jack Grant is far removed from stereotypes, which has become continually more apparent as he’s gained more of a foothold at the professional level this season.

Grant’s path to Super Rugby was unconventional but away from the field, it’s beyond even that and is a story that’s gained momentum since the 27-year-old signed his first Waratahs contract in December.

Put simply, it’s hard not to think he’d rather be behind the camera than in front of it.

From his passion for photography to studying interior design and carpentry and establishing a clothing line with some mates Grant bucks all the stereotypes, more so considering his country upbringing in Orange.

“When I’m doing rugby I’m all in, and I love it, but outside of rugby I have so many other passions … I’m a creative person and I like being that way,” Grant told Stan Sport, in the lead-up to the Waratahs’ round six showdown with Queensland.

On the field, Grant wasn’t the junior superstar you might expect a Super Rugby player to have been either, in fact outside a NSW Country Colts berth in 2013 he was largely overlooked for representative teams.

“Growing up in Orange … it’s not about making anything of rugby, you play because you love the game and you’re passionate about it, I always wanted to play for those reasons,” he said.

“It wasn’t until I was 24 or 25 that I really got a look in.”

When that chance came he took it with both hands, quickly climbing the ladder at Easts and becoming one of the Beasties’ premier players, but also one of the Shute Shield’s best.

So much so, he’s been judged unlucky not to take home the Ken Catchpole Medal on multiple occasions and his Super Rugby opportunity was widely considered to be long, long overdue.

He finally made his debut in round one this season when Waratahs skipper Jake Gordon succumbed to injury, a ‘surreal moment’. 

Certainly a far cry from playing for the Orange City Lions, or reserve grade rugby league alongside father and former Wallaby James, as the duo did in 2011 for Orange CYMS.

“It’s definitely a different way of doing it but it’s a good story for people who are still out there, trying to have a crack at it,” Grant said.

“Once I got to run on I had a look around and sort of thought ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this’. Mum and dad came up for the game, just seeing them and how proud they were, it’s more than just a game of footy.

“There were definitely times when I didn’t think being a professional rugby player could happen for me … so to be able to represent the team I grew up going for, the team my dad played for is a dream come true really.”

Grant returned to Woollahra Oval last weekend for Easts’ Shute Shield season-opening victory over Southern Districts, the Beasties hung on in a thriller to win 17-14.

Angus Fowler replaces him at No.9 as the Beasties host Manly this weekend, with Grant returning to Waratahs camp and being named on the bench for Saturday’s trip to Perth to face the Force.

He is expected to come back into Easts’ side once the Super season finishes though, as the Beasties look to live up the pre-season hype. They’ve been pegged by many not just as contenders, but as title favourites.

Should Eastern Suburbs make those predictions a reality they’ll break a 52-year premiership drought that stretches all the way back to 1969, that year they downed Gordon 16-12 in a nail-biting decider.