It's sometimes hard to believe Ben Maguire is only 28.
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He walks around the field like all of his joints creak while in the past there's often been jokes about the amount of strapping tape needed to get him ready each and every week.
Even on Sunday as the Forbes Magpies forward lined up for a post-game interview, one of his teammates slapped him on the back and called out "the veteran" with a laugh.
But, despite all that, the premiership winner and former Bob Weir medallist continues to showcase why he's been so valuable over a number of years.
Maguire was a standout during Sunday's thrilling 30-28 Peter McDonald Premiership win over Wellington.
Playing in the back-row, Maguire scored two tries and was involved in some crucial defensive moments in a fantastic 80-minute performance.
"People forget he's only 28. He seems like he's about 35," Forbes coach Cameron Greenhalgh said with a smile at full-time.
Happy to be back in black and white
For Maguire, it's enjoyable to feel healthy and be around the Magpies again. He considered his options in the off-season after Condobolin failed to get the numbers for a Woodbridge Cup team.
"It's good to be back," he said.
"I was (keen), but with work commitments and everything else it held me back a bit and I didn't know what I was doing. But it's really good to come back and get around these boys, they're a good bunch of blokes."
While he's feeling fit and there's barely strapping tape needed at the moment, even Maguire was surprised by his two tries on Sunday.
He scored the first try of the day when he muscled over from close range on four minutes while his second try just after half-time was something special.
Getting the ball roughly 20 metres out from the tryline, the back-rower had Cowboys defenders all over him but dragged them over the line in an outstanding individual effort.
"I don't know," Maguire laughed when asked about his second four-pointer.
"The old legs were like a treadmill and I was looking to get through and look for someone but I don't know. It's just good to be back."
As well as his two tries, Maguire and left centre Tom Toohey also combined well to shut down the impact of former NRL player Blake Ferguson with some desperate defence.
Cowboys rally, but loss 'disappointing'
As good as the Magpies were in their first win of the 2024 season, they almost threw it away.
After leading 12-10 at half-time - courtesy of what proved to be a crucial Nick Greenhalgh penalty right on the bell - the Magpies flew out of the sheds in the second stanza and raced out to a 30-10 lead.
But, as they often do, the Cowboys showed their attacking flair to get back in the game.
Second-rowers Seaun Stanley Jr and Justin Toomey-White both scored within four minutes of each other and the Cowboys continued to pile on the pressure as the strong home crowd urged them on.
A try for Rylee Blackhall with three minutes remaining made it a two-point game and while Forbes coughed up possession with 60 seconds to go, they held on for the breakthrough win.
"It's massive," Maguire said after narrow losses to Orange CYMS and Bathurst Panthers following a round one bye.
"It felt like a bit of a slump there and we just came here to get the two points regardless of how awful we played, we needed it.
"They talk about these one percenters all day, and I think the boys all dug deep."
For Wellington captain-coach Toomey-White, his side's first loss of 2024 was a hugely disappointing one.
Both sides questioned decisions made by referee Willy Barnes at times, but Toomey-White said his side simply couldn't concede 30 points at home.
"It's tough to lose like that but we knew what we were in for," he said.
"Forbes were hungry for their first win and we knew they were going to come to play and we didn't start fast or the way we wanted to in either half.
"That's just an individual thing, to be honest. We prepared well this week and had a really good warm-up so that's individual attitude."
- FORBES MAGPIES 30 (Ben Maguire 2, Coopa Martin, Tom Toohey, Toby Hurford tries; Nick Greenhalgh 5 goals) defeated WELLINGTON COWBOYS 28 (Jeffrey Lingwoodock, Mason Williams, Seaun Stanley Jr, Justin Toomey-White, Rylee Blackhall tries; Williams 4 goals)