When the Cowra Eagles take to the field next weekend for a sudden-death finals clash against the Forbes Platypi, they will also be celebrating the achievement of one of their most loyal and longest serving players.
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Grenfell local Jeremy Montgomery, a 13-year veteran of the Eagles, will play his 200th game for the club, and it's an occasion that that the experienced player said he'll relish given the on-field stakes that will be in play for home team when they host the Platypi next Sunday.
"It's one of those things that you play football for I suppose," Montgomery said with a level of understatement.
"You always want to play as many games for your club as you can... [I'm] pretty happy to make my 200, especially given it's a final at home."
While Montgomery's brother, James 'Jimmy' Montgomery, has been struck down with a hand injury on the eve of finals, Evan Stanbridge has been there for much of Montgomery's Eagles journey, and will likely take to the field alongside him next weekend.
Montgomery said he owes a lot to the club in a journey that goes all the way back to 2005.
"It really started from when I was 17," Montgomery said, when he took to the field for Cowra in the Under 17s, and initially thought at one stage he was going to play reserve grade for Grenfell.
But as a young man looking for work opportunities, a conversation with current Cowra co-coach Col Jeffs about his interest in becoming an electrician quickly led the former Henry Lawson High School student to an apprenticeship as a refrigeration mechanic, where he still works for the Eagles other co-coach Colin Kilby.
"I'm pretty happy about that situation now," Montgomery added. "[They've] continually looked after me and my brothers all along the last 13 years that I've been playing for Cowra."
The sense of gratitude Montgomery has for the club is also evident when he talks about the work of Jeffs and Kilby with the senior men's group of players at the club.
"As coaches, I think they've done a fantastic job, given the amount of injuries and things that we've had... which hasn't been helpful for them," Montgomery said.
"They've been really great with all their structures and everything they've brought to training this year."
It's something that he hopes will be apparent in the Eagles' effort next week, regardless of the result.
"Even If we lose the football game but play to the structure that they've given us, I think they'd be quite happy," he said, but added that if the team was to go deeper, it would give the coaches a lot of joy.
"They'll be over the moon given the time and effort that they both have put in over the past few seasons. It'd be absolutely magnificent."
The Cowra Eagles will take on the Forbes Platypi on Sunday at 3.15pm.
