Lifelong Rupanyup footballer Paul Trotter will play his 300th senior match for the club on Saturday.
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Trotter, 36, has played his entire career with the Panthers in the Horsham District football league, rebuffing offers from other clubs and remaining loyal to Rupanyup through thick and thin.
A humble Trotter said he would rather "stay out of the spotlight", but admitted 300 games was a pretty special milestone.
"I've always sort of had a goal to play 300 senior games," he said.
"I had intentions of letting the young players take my spot, and just playing reserves, but somehow I have ended up back in the senior team.
"So I guess I'll just keep having a kick while I still enjoy it. After all, you're a long time retired."
While his longevity and dedication is something to be admired, Trotter said he was simply following in the footsteps of other Rupanyup stalwarts.
"There are a few people at the club that I highly respect, and I just try to mimic them in their dedication to the club," he said.
"Guys like the Weidemann boys, or Stephen Lingham ... they are part of the reason I am still there, and still going. People like that make it all worthwhile.
"We're a good club. We haven't been highly successful recently, but playing footy is about more than success. It's about the community and that side of things as well."
Trotter grew up during an era of success with Rupanyup, as the club made seven senior football grand finals between 1994 and 2002.
As a talented 18-year-old, Trotter broke into the side and won a premiership in 2001, the club's most recent senior football premiership.
"We were going through a really good era, and me being 18, I probably didn't enjoy it as much as I should've back then," Trotter said of his one and only flag.
"Looking back now, I understand it's a lot harder to win premierships than you think it is at that age.
"But you can't tell yourself, when you're 19 at the end of 2002 and the club has played in seven grannies in 10 years, that you're not going to be playing in another until at least 2020. It was a bit hard to appreciate at the time."
Trotter said he was optimistic about the future with Rupanyup, whether he was playing or not. Trotter wanted to give special thanks to his wife Sara for her support.
"Two years ago I was out injured, and she made me look after the kids at the footy," Trotter said.
"After that I said, 'unfortunately for you I'm going to play for 10 more years, because playing footy is a lot easier than looking after the kids.'
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