It's a wet weekend and we thought we might rewind to a story we ran a year ago in what seemed a different world ... when sport was played every weekend, and no one had heard of COVID-19.
Kevin Short ponders for a second ... "about two and a half thousand," he says.
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He's talking about the number of competitive hockey games he's played during his 60-year career.
Yes, 60 - and at this stage he plans to go around again next season but acknowledges it's "in the lap of the gods".
"I started at 10 in Taree in 1959 and I've played ever since in Newcastle and more recently Maitland since 1984.
"I'm 70 now and while the hands are still quick and the mind still operates, I have to say the legs don't always do what I tell them," he says with a laugh.
"But you adapt. You don't go for balls you can't get to. It's pretty fair to say my playing style these days is somewhat pedestrian.
"The two and a half thousand games would be about right. It's hard to estimate because in the old days we would go to carnivals in various towns and play maybe five or six games in a weekend."
Recently the Maitland Rams acknowledged Short's 60 years in the sport with a small cake and celebration.
It came after an against-the-odds win against competition leaders Souths in the sixth grade.
With the Rams sitting pretty in third spot, it even has the veteran eyeing another premiership.
"It's funny, I played 50 years before I won my first premiership," he said. "Not many people could say that.
"I'd played in quite a few grand finals, but hadn't won one.
"Then after we won our first, we won five in the next six years. Another one would be nice."
When asked about the toll training takes on him, he shook his head.
"At my age you train or you play ... you don't do both. The body refuses."
It's funny, I played 50 years before I won my first premiership ... not many people could say that
- Kevin Short
Short was a regular first grader in his younger days, and while he has played the odd top grade game with the Rams, it has mostly been lower grades.
"I played first grade for about 12 years all up, but was too slow to be a top player," he says. "I was a solid team member, but not a star.
"These days I play with my oldest son Andrew, and his kids come along to watch.
"It's rewarding having them watch their father and grandfather in action together."
But while the body has slowed up on the field, how does he go afterwards with the traditional refreshing ale?
Can he still keep up?
"In that regard I've retained my skills," he says, breaking into another chuckle.
