Southern Inland Rugby Union
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HE'S been a stalwart of Wagga City for almost two decades, but prop Chris Bryant will run out for his beloved Boiled Lollies for the last time in the first division grand final on Saturday.
Playing his first game for the club as a 16-year-old in 1997, the 33-year-old has decided to leave the scrums behind him.
He's lost track of the number of times he's pulled on the blue and white jersey, but after playing more than 250 games for the club he's has decided to call time of his playing days.
Making up his mind earlier in the year, a grand final win would be a great way to go out.
"It's sensation and a win would top off the season for myself and the club greatly," Bryant said.
"The whole retirement thing, I haven't made too much of a big deal of it as it is what it is."
Bryant has also been part of the committee for the past decade, but hasn't decided what his role in the club will be in the future.
"I'm looking to quit while I'm ahead before the body goes," Bryant said.
"I think it's time to move on and go do something else.
"I'll re-evaluate in the off-season but I want to step back, have my weekends back and do more than just football."
With no under 17 competition back when he started, Bryant was thrown into the deep end, packing into the front row of City's third-grade team.
Playing most of football alongside his brother Jarrod in the front row, it's a position he's spent all of his playing career in.
"I was one of the guys who started in the front row and will die in the front row," he joked.
After moving to Queensland following last year's season, Jarrod has been playing with Mareeba and will also be hanging up the boots this year.
Saturday just won't be a celebration of Bryant, but of the club's success.
The least successful of the four Wagga clubs over the past four decades, the Boiled Lollies will have the largest representation on grand final.
"I feel like I've been there for the good times and the bad," Bryant said.
"I've played three grades in one day when we didn't had enough numbers, but we haven't gone by the wayside and have some good times at the moment.
"With the four teams it is absolutely sensational and it is massive to have first grade, second grade, women's and under 17s."