Ryan Hoffman didn't think he'd be alive to see the day someone cracked the mystical 400-game mark in the NRL.
The retired Melbourne Storm workhorse knows how demanding it is to rack up 300 matches, being one of 36 men to have reached that milestone so far.
It's why Hoffman is in awe of former teammate Cameron Smith, who on Saturday night will become the first player to record the quadruple-century against the Cronulla Sharks at AAMI Park.
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Smith and Hoffman began their NRL journeys at the Storm around the same time, going on to win three premierships together.
While Hoffman has always marvelled at Smith's durability and craftiness, he still can't fathom the achievement the hooker is about to realise.
"I cannot believe this milestone is happening. I can't believe it's happening in my lifetime, to be quite honest," Hoffman said on Thursday in front of a large Smith mural at Melbourne's Richmond train station.
"And I can't believe it's happening to someone who I played my first game with and I played [in], I think it was his third game.
"It's just an outstanding milestone."
Much has been made of Smith's incredible toughness and fortunate run with injury across his 15-year career to date.
But Hoffman credited the ex-Australian and Queensland captain's mental strength for allowing him to keep pushing forward into rarefied territory.
"Rugby league takes so much out of you mentally in terms of preparation, the media and everything else that goes with it, not just the game on Saturday or Sunday," Hoffman said.
"To be able to have that mental fortitude for 400 games is fantastic."
Hoffman hopes Smith takes the time to soak in the amazing occasion in front of an adoring home crowd.
"For me personally, I just want him to enjoy it," Hoffman said.
"I just want him to not have any pressure on the result. Just to enjoy this moment that's happening.
"Because I don't know when it's going to happen again. I can't see it happening anytime soon.
"He needs to understand that he's achieved something that no-one in rugby league thought possible."
Melbourne CEO Dave Donaghy believes there has never been "a bigger game of NRL in Melbourne than this one".
He added: "It's quite remarkable that we have got the first player to play 400 games and we want to make sure we do this game and the occasion justice."
Aged 36, Smith has been in supreme form this season and Donaghy likened the evergreen rake to Benjamin Button.
"He is like a fine wine. We were at Penfolds Winery the other week and he is like a nice bottle of grange. He is getting better with age," Donaghy said.
"Not playing Origin has certainly helped him. I don’t know how long he will go on for, that is for Cam to decide."
Not only a champion player, Donaghy lauded Smith as a terrific person.
"If we had more blokes like Cam Smith in the league, the game would be in a much better space," he said.