He made the prediction while launching a campaign office for then Northern Tablelands candidate Charlie McCowen in Byron Street during the 2011 state election campaign.

Mr Grant took up the Nationals helm on Wednesday last week after a surprise resignation from former leader Andrew Stoner who has since stepped down from his political portfolios. 

“I helped Troy campaign out in western New South Wales when he was running for the seat of Dubbo,” Senator Williams said.

“I just thought he was a man of leader - in his job in the police force, he was very good at rounding the troops up and getting them to work together for one cause.”

Senator Williams said he believed the party was in good hands.

“Troy is a very likable bloke. No one will have any trouble working with Troy and I say that with all sincerity,” he said.

The Nationals senator said Mr Stoner’s decision to step down was very sudden.

“I spoke to colleagues who were in the Nationals party room when Andrew Stoner said he was leaving and they said he was very emotional,” he said.

“It was only a few months since the pre-selections for the seat of Oxley and Andrew Stoner was reindorsed as the candidate for the next election, now they will have to go to another pre-selection.”

“I think it is a time when his family needs him more than politics.”