When Mark Ewington first signed up with the Gunnedah Bulldogs in the early 2000s, his goals were simple - to play some footy, meet new mates, and maybe win a premiership or two if things go well.
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Did any part of him predict that he would still take to the footy fields over 20 years later, in his 50s and with three premierships to his name?
"Probably not," he said with a chuckle.
But that's how life has transpired.
And not only does Ewington hold several club records - he is still setting them. The most recent came on the weekend, when the 52-year-old kicked his 400th goal in blue, white, and red.
The club had actually expected to celebrate the milestone the game prior, when the Bulldogs hosted the Tamworth Kangaroos in Gunnedah.
It wasn't to be. But when the moment finally arrived, and Ewington sent the Sherrin sailing between the No. 1 Oval goalposts on Saturday, his first thought was not one of excitement, or pride.
"I was relieved, in the end," he said.
"The main thing was getting the win for the team. We've struggled in the last few years, so it was good to get another win.
"Obviously I'm proud of it, though."
The rest of his teammates were, however, ecstatic. Particularly the likes of Andy Mack, the Bulldogs president, player, and former coach, who has shared the field with Ewington for many years and celebrated several premierships alongside him.
"I don't think anyone in our club will ever match [400 goals]," Mack said.
"It's unbelievable, the longevity he's got."
When the umpire signalled Ewington's landmark goal, his teammates went berserk. He ended up with three, to help Gunnedah secure a 10.15.75 to 9.5.59 victory over the Kangaroos.
It is a moment Mack will never forget, much like the 2017 grand final they won in which, he said, the Tasmanian product played a crucial role.
"He came off the bench in the last quarter and iced the game," Mack said.
"That's one that stands out for me, personally ... he was always a bit of a beacon as far as putting the scoreboard pressure on the opposition through his goalkicking."
Ewington's unerring accuracy is just one of the attributes that, even in his 50s, makes him a consistent threat.
But as far as Bulldogs player-coach Jakob Vearing is concerned, the veteran's biggest assets are his remarkable footy IQ and feel for the game.
"I've spent the last two years struggling with injuries, and the weekend just gone was one of the first weekends that I've felt good in a long time," Vearing said.
"I found that every time I gained possession across that half forward line, I had in mind exactly where I wanted to kick it, and when I'd look up, he'd already be there.
"He knows exactly what he's doing, and he knows exactly what I'm doing. It's really good to have."
It is not just on the field that Ewington has lifted the club. He helps out amply off it as well, whether it be mentoring his younger teammates, or assistant coaching the women's side (in which his daughters, Laura and Kelly, play).
Men's captain Adam Curgenven had a simple yet incisive take on what makes Ewington so popular and highly respected among the Bulldogs.
"He's just a great all-round bloke," Curgenven said.
"He's still keen to get around the boys, and that's what he's all about the club. Getting around, helping, and the young fellas look up to him.
"He brings a lot of experience and a good time to the club. He loves a beer after the game."
Ewington has retired twice before, and said one of the major reasons he played this year was to kick his 400th goal. Now that he has done it, he said 2024 will "definitely" be his final season.
Well, probably.
"I won't say never," he admitted.
"The body does still feel good, so we'll see what happens. But it probably will be [the last]."
