He will next month notch up his 400th game of first-grade rugby league in a milestone worthy of celebration and reverence.
But his name is James Graham, not Cameron Smith.
Plenty has been made of the fact that Melbourne skipper Smith will later this season become the first player to bring up 400 NRL games
But it's mostly escaped attention that dogged St George-Illawarra's Graham will likely beat Smith to the 400-game mark by a fortnight.
Against Cronulla on Sunday, the 33-year-old will run out for his 172nd NRL game.
The dogged British prop came to Australia via Canterbury in 2012 after beginning his career at St Helens, where he had 225 English Super League and Challenge Cup caps.
Barring injury or suspension, he will bring up his 400th game at Wollongong's WIN Stadium against North Queensland in round 15, two weeks before Smith cracks the illustrious mark.
Told he was set to beat Smith to the 400 club, in typical Graham fashion, he played down the achievement.
"I'm not in a race with anyone," he told AAP.
Of more pressing concern for Graham is breaking the Dragons' four-game losing streak which has seen them tumble to 12th.
"The frustrating thing from our perspective is we know we're better, we know we're capable of more," Graham said.
"We've showed that. If we were deadbeats and no hopers we'd just accept it and move on and play next week and not really care.
"We are hurting and we want to do something about it."
Graham is off contract at the end of next year and is still highly respected by his teammates.
Dragons flyer Matt Dufty said Graham had earned enough respect that he always listened to what he had to say and his work ethic and passion had rubbed off on him.
"I look up to James, he's been everywhere and done everything," Dufty said.
"If he says something, I'll listen.
"It is a bit like big brother/little brother. He gets angry at me for stuff when he knows I can be better. I listen because that's just the respect I have for him."
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