BRENTON Cochrane is deep into his successful rugby league odyssey but, at age 36, he is not contemplating retirement.
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Why should he?
Anyone who saw him in full flight for the Narrabri Blues last year would have been impressed by the incisive forays he made into opposing defences.
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He made players 10 and 15 years his junior look leaden-footed as he carved teams up from dummy half.
In 2020 he was to have played with the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters in the Group 4 competition but the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to that.
Instead, he's been named as one of four captains for the inaugural Wests Entertainment Group 9s, to be played in October at Scully Park.
He will skipper the Carey's Freight Lines side in the 9s.
And one thing for certain is, entering the CFL boys will get their value for money with the entertainment aspect Cochrane will inject.
"It's a great concept," said Darren Carey one of the principles of Carey's Freight Lines.
Carey is looking forward to the tournament's debut at the magnificent Scully Park.
Cochrane has asked the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters president Clarence "Lad" Jones to be his side's manager. Jones is a great ally to have.
He and "Lad" go way back, to their origins at Wee Waa.
Cochrane - a linesman with Central Energy - might have been born at Camden but he grew up in Wee Waa and went to Wee Waa's primary and high schools.
He then moved to Ballina on the North Coast and played with the Lismore Workers' under-18 side and then Byron Bay.
"I spent 10 years up there and played with four different clubs," he recalled.
He then returned home to Wee Waa and played for the Panthers against West Lions in the 2010 grand final at Scully Park.
In another season he played in grand finals in both rugby union and rugby league in the same year.
He has also played with the Moree Boars in Group 19.
Cochrane described his move to No 9 at Narrabri as "interesting".
I've played the game for a lot of years and gained some experience ... It seems the game has slowed down to me.
- Brenton Cochrane
"I've played the game for a lot of years and gained some experience," he said.
"It seems the game has slowed down to me," he continued.
That was in reference to how he now has more time to do things than he used to.
His speed hasn't altered, though, but his perception is clearer and faster - enabling him to make better, braver and broader decisions at dummy half.
Almost Cameron Smith-like.
