Brent Kite has no regrets about bringing up his 300th NRL game away from the Manly club, and has revealed he's being groomed for a post-football coaching career at new home Penrith.
On Sunday against the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt, prop Kite will become just the 20th player in history to register the 300-game milestone and will do so wearing Panthers' colours.
Kite will go down as a Manly great after 221 appearances, two premierships and a Clive Churchill medal with the Sea Eagles - as well as regular appearances for NSW and Australia - but he sees his future out west.
His mental preparation for his 300th game has been sentimental, but largely taken up with the stresses of moving into a new house in Glenmore.
After he hangs up the boots next year, 33-year-old Kite hopes to start a coaching career in the Panthers system having already held discussions with Penrith boss Phil Gould.
"That was part of the plan coming out here. I don't know in what capacity that'd be. It's a really good club, Penrith; seems to have more pathways than other clubs by having such a big junior base," said Kite.
"That was something that was discussed (when signing) ... you can't secure your future beyond playing, but it's something we'd love to do and hopefully it works out."
After 13 seasons and playing the toughest position on the field, Kite says the secret to his sustained success has been simply turning up every week willing to have a crack.
Kite signed with Manly from St George Illawarra in 2005 when the club was still struggling to recover from the Northern Eagles collapse. Along with fellow recruit Ben Kennedy, he helped pioneer a culture of dominance at Brookvale which is ongoing.
Manly will always be a part of Kite, but he's not living in the past - with his experience and leadership helping to inspire Penrith's rise up the ladder this year.
"It's definitely gone quick. (Footy) is like being in high school. Everyone always tells you 'enjoy this years - they won't last forever'. Before you know it, you're nearly done and you're thinking maybe they did know what they're talking about.
"I'll miss playing but it can't go on forever.
"It would have been nice (to do it at Manly) but I had such a great run at Manly and I don't really have any regrets.
"The Clive Churchill and the 2008 premiership was my best achievement, hands down.
"If I look at that game and what we achieved, it just felt like 17 blokes had close to their personal best games. I obviously got the medal but I think they'd all feel similar. It was just such a special feeling to put the old enemy (Melbourne) away by such a big score."
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