Cameron Smith is set to become the first to play 400 NRL games, after re-signing with the Melbourne Storm on a two-year deal.
The 35-year-old has played 384 first-grade matches since his Storm debut against Canterbury Bulldogs in April 2002.
The Storm captain had hinted at retirement during the 2018 finals and that seemed possible, as contracted negotiations hit a stalemate.
But both sides finally put pen to paper, when the hooker returned to training this week after an extended break.
Smith reportedly wanted a two-year deal, while the Storm only offered one, which contributed to the delay.
"I'm very happy to be continuing my career with the club," Smith told the Storm's website.
"With Bill Slater and Ryan Hoffman retiring last season, I want to give Craig [Bellamy] and the coaching staff all the support they need, particularly with so much talent coming through."
If Smith remains fit, he’ll hit the 400-game mark against archrivals the Cronulla Sharks at AAMI Park in Round 17.
Another record Smith will likely break is the NRL scoring mark. He requires just 33 points to overtake Hazem El Masri as the highest pointscorer in history.
El Masri's record stands at 2418, after he passed Andrew Johns's tally in 2009.
In addition to the individual records, he has twice been named Dally M Player of the Year for the NRL's 'best and fairest', he has been Hooker of the Year seven times and twice World Player of the Year.
The Storm have NRL pre-seaosn matches against the Warriors on February 22 in Geelong and against the Cowboys in Mackay on March 2, before opening their 2019 season against the Broncos on March 14.
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