Former coach and premiership player David Pieper to bring up 200 games for The Rock-Yerong Creek

But on Saturday, the two-time premiership player with the Pies, including one as coach, will lace up the boots for his 200^th game in the black and white.

"To play at the one club for 200 games, it's pretty exciting," Pieper, 38, said.

"It's definitely an honour, especially at such a successful club like The Rock.

"After last year, with a few weeks off, injuries, and working away, the motivation slipped a little and I wasn't sure how much footy I had left in me.

"When I had the calf injuries, as they say, they're old man injuries, so it made me wonder but I got that sorted and they've given me no trouble this year."

For that reason, retirement is neither on nor off his mind at the moment.

What matters is the present, including another crunch game for TRYC, at home to Charles Sturt University who are also chasing their second win, among the logjam of teams trying to light a fire under their seasons.

"Oh it's massive. Because the comp's so even, there's no games when you can take your foot off the pedal or rest players," Pieper said.

"You really have to be right on for four quarters every week which doesn't always happen at our level of footy.

"Four of our five losses this year, we've been in front in the last quarter. Now we've had that win (at Barellan last week), hopefully we can go on with it."

The Pies will be without star forward Andy Carey, who is trying to manage his body but was a late inclusion last week and kicked seven goals in a match-winning effort.

Carey first came to the Pies in 2015 and wrote himself into club folklore when he capped a brilliant finals series with a courageous grand final effort in the upset win against East Wagga-Kooringal.

"We put a lot of work into getting Andy Carey to the club and I've loved playing with him," Pieper said, when recalling some of the teammates he's enjoyed playing alongside since joining TRYC in 2007.

"'Grunter' (Mark O'Leary) was just a pleasure to play with, as well as Aaron de Jong, Michael Mazzocchi, Dale Hugo, Justin Driscoll, Justin Rynehart. None of them are playing anymore."

Former Wagga Tigers teammates, including de Jong and Rynehart, drew Pieper to the Pies from North Wagga after the Saints went into recess.

Pieper's provided great service ever since but says the privilege has been his. He rates the 2011 and 2015 flags - both as underdogs - as the on-field highlights.

More importantly, he found a home. In fact, he's coaching the club's under 12 team now, including son Lenny, 10.

"The Rock's a very successful, proud, good country club, it's got that country feel," Pieper said.

"The older blokes that are always there - the Driscolls, Peter Gerhardy is back as president now - the same faces are there, they make you feel at home and it's a really enjoyable club to be at."

Pieper said not all of his highlights have been in the week-in, week-out of club competition.

"My favourite footy was rep footy, coaching and playing there," he said.

"To play with the likes of Matty Hard and Brad Aiken and Weapon (Brad Langtry) from Marrar, it was great to get know blokes like that and play alongside them."

Few of his contemporaries are still playing first grade. Pieper knows he won't go on forever but that's not playing on his mind right now.

"I'll just play it by ear. I'm still enjoying the game. It just depends on the body. I've been really lucky over the years, most of my injuries and surgeries have been at the end of seasons and I haven't missed too much footy," he said.

"I'd like to be able to do more at training but I wouldn't be able to do as much on Saturdays if I do. So I'll just look after the body and see how it goes."

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