For the lucky ones, there are premierships too, savoured in the moment and treasured in retirement.

And then there's what goes back the other way: loyal servants offering dedicated service through long winter after long winter.

The Rock-Yerong Creek's Bryan Ball (300 games) and Nathan Kelly (200), fit that bill, and will be recognised for their combined 500 games with the senior cub when they run out in Saturday's reserve grade game against North Wagga on Saturday.

At the same time, just after midday, and some 120 kilometres north at Ariah Park, Ged O'Brien will step onto the ground for his 300^th appearance when the Northern Jets take on East Wagga-Kooringal.

They'll all be recognised not only for the milestone, but the backbone they help provide to their country clubs.

Ball was a 16-year-old when he debuted in 2002, kicking off an association that would take in four senior premierships, 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2015. Twenty seasons on, he's coaching the seconds.

"I'm a local boy out here and there's not too much to do," Ball, 35, laughs.

"It's pretty much a second family to me. I love it out here. It's a pretty proud moment for me (to play 300^th game). I love the club. It's means a fair bit to me, in all honesty."

Kelly was an accidental Magpie. Brought to the club for a kick in 2004 by his brother-in-law, former TRYC star Aaron de Jong, the midfielder-forward is still there at 37, still committed, and assisting Ball as coach of the twos.

He was part of the 2012 reserves flag, a memorably big win against North Wagga.

"I'm the same as Bally... it feels like a second family to me. It's an awesome club and it's pretty hard to just leave and not come back the following year," Kelly said.

O'Brien, 39, laughs that it's taken him years to put together his most recent 50.

Adding to the family theme, he'll play his 300^th alongside brother-in-law Evan Lord on the same day his sister Katrina is playing her 150^th club game of netball.

"I just love catching up with people, with your mates, and the camaraderie in the small communities, getting together and enjoying each other's company," O'Brien said.

He first played open age football as a 15-year-old for Ariah Park-Mirrool in 1998 and won a seconds flag with the Brown Bombers a year later.

Within a decade, he'd played full-back in the Jets' two senior flags, in 2005 and 2007.

"It meant a hell of a lot,. They were huge. In '05 it was the first premiership since 1962 for Ariah Park and for Ardlethan it was even longer, in the '50s.

"A lot of players at that time were getting to the end of their careers, like your Curries, your Fairmans, your Harpers. Great footballers in the area and they came together at a good time and we were able to achieve that success there."

Rob Harper was as good as O'Brien played with and former Collingullie champion Brad Aiken one of the best in an opposition team. (Coincidentally, Aiken is named to play for the Magpies twos in the Ball-Kelly milestone game at The Rock).

A year after a season was lost to COVID-19, the Jets and 'Pies are up and about with first grade sides bound for finals. And club stalwarts still having a kick.

The Jets community is enjoying being treated to the sight of their club's good form. O'Brien's great desire now would be to see this new generation enjoy some of what he was lucky enough to taste.

O'Brien's father played more than 300 first grade games for Ariah Park-Mirrool and close to 400 club games.

"He played in no premierships. A lot of his era, blokes in their 50s, 60s, 70s around here never played ina premiership. They played in a lot of grand finals but were never able to enjoy the ultimate success," he said.

"So I was privileged to come through the era that I have. And I'd like to see the players playing now, like your Mitch Haddrills and Fisher boys, it'd be nice to see them have success at their home club at some stage."

O'Brien is well-placed to observe the changes in country football across some 24 years.

"It's changed a lot from the late '90s through to now. It's a lot quicker, a lot more rotations," he said.

"The rivalries are still there. It was a great Ardlethan and Ariah Park-Mirrool rivalry for years and now it's moved on to great rivalries against Temora.

"The footy's a lot better. A lot more professional now than it probably was. It's probably less physical now and a lot more accountability for a player's actions on the field compared to back when I first started.

"It's certainly improved for the better."

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