He's not one to talk himself up, even after five senior premierships with The Rock Yerong Creek and Albury Tigers, and still hunting more with Turvey Park.

But ask current Bulldogs coach Michael Mazzocchi, who also coached Yates at the Magpies, what he brings to a team, and it's the care for his teammates and ability to nail the big moments which stand out.

Yates only played his second game of the season in last week's one-point win over Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes, due to a hernia issue he also battled with in his first stint with the Bulldogs last year.

He still had an impact in Turvey's first win over a top five side this year when it mattered, and will play his 300^th game when the Bulldogs host Collingullie-Glenfield Park at Maher Oval on Saturday.

"On the footy field he's just all class and we saw that last Saturday," Mazzocchi said.

"He was only just back after a few weeks and he nailed a goal 40 metres out on the left, when we were really under the pump. He's always had terrific skills and is naturally fit.

"To be honest we've struggled at times hitting up our forwards with delivery and that's what Tom brings. He's got that incredible left foot where it doesn't matter if he's delivering from 30 or 60 metres, it's always absolutely dead on."

"He's an exceptional person and sets high standards for our young group.

"He's assistant coach and sits on selection, he has a good balance where he's very protective of his players but has a good knowledge of the game."

When Mazzocchi signed as Turvey Park coach before last season, Yates was already being wooed by officials from the kennel.

It was decision he wrestled with for weeks given his loyalty to the Magpies, where he won premierships in 2004, 2006 and 2015, three straight best and fairests in 2016-18 and coached them from 2017-19.

He opted to test himself in the Ovens and Murray with Albury Tigers, winning three flags, before then Magpies coach Mazzocchi lured him back to TRYC in 2013.

After signing with the Bulldogs, Yates said he felt "sick in the guts" when telling his Magpies teammates, an indication of his selfless approach.

"He was one of the first people who rang me when I got the (Bulldogs) job, I didn't even realise but he rang me and said 'did you know I'm thinking of coming over," Mazzocchi said.

"I know he was torn, loyalty is a big thing for Tom, but while he could play some good footy in the RFL he wanted to try and do it."

The 300 milestone has taken longer to arrive than Yates would have liked, with his injury limiting him to nine games last year and two so far this year.

"Someone told me a while ago (it was close) and with what happened with last year and the year before with COVID, it's taken a while to finally get there," he said.

"But it's just another game in the scheme of things.

"That (winning premierships) is the highlight, you play to win flags with your mates and have a bit of a carry on afterwards.

"It (coming to Turvey Park) was a tough one, but I just think I wanted a change and to have a crack at the RFL.

"It hasn't quite gone according to plan with some injuries and dramas I've had, which has been disappointing, but I've really enjoyed it here."

Yates said coaching at Victoria Park, and also being forced to earn his senior spot in a heavyweight Tigers team, had helped him develop as a player and leader.

"You need that persistence and to train hard and try and show some form in the twos. The reward for effort takes care of itself in the long run," he said.

"There was a few of us who were in and out down there (Tigers), but it was a pretty hard side to crack back then and it was good times down there.

"Coaching is not an easy job obviously, it has its moments but it's enjoyable when you see the younger guys come on and become better players. It's tough, but rewarding.

"Doing that job you probably realise what actually goes into making a club run, the volunteeers and people who don't get the recognition they should."

Yates fully understands how lucky he's been to taste premiership success so often. But the Magpies' tough win over East Wagga Kooringal in the 2015 decider, where they recovered from a 27-point second quarter deficit to prevail by a goal, was particularly memorable.

"It was a special one to come back from that far down early on. There was some big efforts from a few blokes. That was definitely a memorable one," he said.

Yates is enjoying help nurture the promising batch of pups at Turvey Park, with the Bulldogs sitting in fourth spot before Saturday's clash with the Demons.

"Being such a young group hopefully it gives them the belief and we needed to beat a top five side," he said.

"It's good to get those scrappy wins instead of it all being one way traffic, to get that belief in the boys. It's like anything with young blokes, if they get their tails up they're pretty hard to stop so hopefully that's the case.

"Turvey has a really good young playing group and there's going to be some stars come out of that side. I hope they continue to keep pushing themselves and hopefully a few of them go on to bigger and better things, which I think some of them could."

Yates is confident he has plenty more miles in the legs yet and isn't looking to retire any time soon.

"I'll definitely keep trying to play footy. If I can get on top of those I definitely want to keep going," he said.

Mazzocchi tipped Yates to eventually end his career where it all began.

"He could go back to The Rock one day and play another 100 games," Mazzocchi said.

"I'd imagine he'd go back to Farrer and continue to play good footy once he's finished with Turvey."

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