A total of 330 NRL games, 12,026 tackles, 4,440 hit-ups, 60 tries … and now, one goal.
Retiring Parramatta great Nathan Hindmarsh ensured he had one final highlight to cap a glittering career when he potted a penalty goal after the fulltime siren in his NRL farewell on Sunday night.
It was a fitting bright spot on a disappointing night for the Eels skipper, who bowed out on the wrong end of a 29-8 scoreline.
It was all Hindmarsh too, the old-school backrower ignoring the kicking tee in preference for a sand pile used by players of yesteryear.
“Pretty standard really,” Hindmarsh joked after curling over the shot from ten metres out from the sideline.
“Can kick em, just never get the opportunities.”
He even had time to take the mickey out of St George Illawarra kicker Jamie Soward as he mimicked his peculiar pre-kick routine.
Hindmarsh was always going to take the shot if the opportunity presented itself after some mid-week practice.
“I popped a few from the sideline during the week, but not really practising, just taking the piss,” Hindmarsh said.
“But I was knocking them over easy.
“(There was) no pressure. If I missed I missed.
“We couldn’t win the game with it or anything like that, so nice and cruisey.”
Fellow retiree Luke Burt was happy enough not to add to his club record 1793 points.
“I was that happy he got that kick.
“The funny thing is, earlier in the week he kicked three from the sideline in a row.
“I haven’t seen him miss at training yet.”
He’ll never see him miss in a game either.