North Queensland centre Brent Tate hopes his 200th NRL game, against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, lasts longer than his brief NRL debut 12 years ago.
Tate, whose milestone has arrived despite three heartbreaking knee reconstructions among 12 major operations, remembers his debut for Brisbane in 2001 like it was yesterday.
“Kevvie Walters shot out of the defensive line, missed a tackle and they (Melbourne) scored in my corner,” he said.
“I got hooked (by Wayne Bennett) a few minutes later.
“Kevvie still jokes about it.”
The thing that stood out for Tate that day was how quick the game was played.
“I remember thinking to myself at the time ‘I just can’t do this’,” he said.
“Here we are, more than 10 years on, and I’m really stoked I’ve played another 198 games and about to play number 200.”
Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin acknowledged Tate’s perseverance in getting to his milestone and said he posed a big threat to his old club, along with the Cowboys’ Test-strength front row of Matt Scott and James Tamou.
Tate is hoping to get a State of Origin call-up and a new contract offer from the Cowboys in coming months, both strong possibilities if he continues his good early-season form.
He will defend against English international Jack Reed, who signed a new Broncos deal until 2017 this week, and who has served up four tries for converted winger Josh Hoffman in the past fortnight.
“I’ve watched Reedy closely over the last few weeks and he is starting to hit his straps and play some great footy.
“I’ve got a great wrap on Josh Hoffman too. I think he is a great rugby league player.
“A lot of their attack has been going down that side so it could be a big night for me.”
Had Tate not missed so much football through serious injuries, he would be pushing towards the rare 300-game total.
Even the 200-game milestone looked a long shot in 2010 when he suffered his third serious knee injury playing for Australia against New Zealand.
Images of him in the dressing room in tears suggested it could have all been over then.
“That was probably my lowest point ever and a time when I didn’t have the belief in myself that I would get back there again,” said Tate.
“(But) … there’s always been that calling and the love of the game to keep going.
“I’m grateful I’ve had great people around me who’ve encouraged me to keep going because there have been times where it’s almost become too hard.”
He said it was “ironic” he was playing his 200th game against the club where it all started.
“They (Brisbane and North Queensland) are both great clubs and they’re both very close to my heart.”