“I’ve always loved the club, I grew up playing footy with Cessnock so I'm pretty happy about it,” he said of the milestone. 

Pyne, 33, played his 200^th first grade game last year. 

Following a storied career in Newcastle Hunter rugby league, he says this season will be his last.

“I’d like to play another couple of years but the body is telling me no. We’ve got a couple of good young kids coming through so it’s a good time to step aside,” he said. 

It’s been a frustrating year for Cessnock, who sit outside the top five. 

“The potential has been there to be a top three side,” Pyne said of this season. 

“It’s just been one of those years, it’s more frustrating than anything.”

An illustrious try scorer in his early years, Pyne said his style had changed in recent years to match his bullocking frame. 

Pyne estimates that he sits at second on the Goannas’ all-time try scorer list, with about 170 four-pointers to his name. 

“It’d be nice (to get a few more tries before retiring),” he laughed.