There have been numerous achievements in Western Suburbs champion all-rounder Andrew Trappel's cricket career, but one date stands out in his memory beyond all others.
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It's January, 9, 1999, the day the then 18-year-old Trappel, Western Suburbs player No.258, made his first grade debut.
"The debut against City on 9th of January, 1999, will always be a highlight," Trappel said this week when quizzed on the highlights of his record 221 first grade games with the Plovers.
"The 2012 grand final, our first grand final since 1995-96 grand final, definitely stands out. I captained us to an unexpected win and the 2016 grand final was another highlight, along with the minor premiership last year."
Trappel's first grade game record was recognised before play on day one of Wests and City's round two clash with the man he eclipsed as record holder, Anthony Ellicott, making a presentation.
It was also a chance to welcome Geoffrey Keppie Watson and Sam Collison as Wests first grade players No. 340 and 341 respectively.
"It was a special moment, Anthony was my first, first grade captain," Trappel said.
"I've know Anthony for a long time, there is that personal connection in cricket and he obviously played cricket with my father Warren for a long time.
"I started as an 18-year-old in 1999, which in.this day and age is classified as old but back in the late 1990s it was considered to be quite young.
"I won't say it was a stronger competition, but I will say that there were a lot more people between the age of 25 and 35 playing cricket. It was back in the days when you played football in the winter and cricket in the summer."
Trappel has played all his Maitland cricket at Wests, but had two years in Newcastle first grade playing with Waratah-Mayfield in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
"I absolutely loved it. It was a fantastic time," he said.
The birth of his son saw him return to the Plovers in 2007-08 and he has no regrets about not returning to the Newcastle comp.
"I always promised to go back, but fortunately I didn't as I've got a great group of friends at Wests. I was president for a few years and had my daughter as well.
"We have a very proud history and we do the best we possibly can.
"I've said this multiple times to people, 'we don't always have the best of the conditions, we don't have the best ground or training facilities but what we do have is a really good culture'.
"We have a great committee and a great group of volunteers and we're coming up to 75 years as a club."
Outside of first grade, one of Trappel's most treasured memories was playing one game with his father Warren, a legend at Wests cricket and multiple premiership player at Norths, and brothers Damien and Anthony in second grade, and a couple of Hunter Valley Cup games.
Trappel nominates Wests' 2016 team as the best he played with and his century in the 2012 grand final as one of his most cherished as it helped the underdogs win the title.
As for the best players he has played with, it's an impressive list starting with Adam Boettcher who came to Wests in the early 2000s.
"He played first grade in Newcastle at 17. He is a fantastic player," Trappel said.
"Brett Taylor, Michael Rees who got a 100 in the final in 2016. Andrew Kealy who played first grade in Tasmania, Elliott Lewis who came to us last year from England and Andrew Mahony ...
"They are all fantastic players. If you go through the stats, they're the guys.
"From the older generation I was lucky enough to play with Neil Crittenden, who played 10-plus years with Merewether. All great players for sure."
As for the best players he has played against, the list includes Andrew Yeomans, Andrew Mullard, Brad Bannister and Mitch Irwin.
But the stand out was former Wests premiership captain and Easts legend Jason Allen
"There's lots of very good players, but Jason Allen stands out for me as the best and the toughest competitor I've played against," Trappel said.
Trappel said cricket had been very generous to him in terms of life lessons and in particular with friendships, chief among those his mentors the late Chris Mudd and Peter Edmonds.
"Cricket's been a huge part of my life. I have retired four or five times, but I have continued to come back. Even with Dad passing away last year I am still enjoying my cricket," he said.
