If all had gone according to plan, Brett Jarrett would be playing in the NRL right now - perhaps for the Storm: a grand final date against the Panthers looming.
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But life has a habit of not working out as planned. And, instead, the 28-year-old back-rower - signed by the Storm out of high school - lined up for Marius Street Family Dental in the Wests Entertainment Group 9s at Scully Park on Saturday night.
He has made peace with the dissolution of his NRL dream, after also experiencing lower-grade action at the Rabbitohs and finally the Knights - before returning to Tamworth to work at his alma mater, Farrer.
"I'm pretty happy with the effort I put in and what I achieved." (He played under-20s at the Storm and the Rabbitohs and NSW Cup at the Knights over what he said was "four or five years".)
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Jarrett returned to Tamworth after playing first grade for West Rosellas and then Central Charlestown in the Newcastle competition. He sat out the 2018 season and then linked with his former Farrer First XIII teammate, Matt Wilson, at Dungowan in 2019. They also play together at Marius Street Family Dental.
Jarrett's MSFD captain, Scott Blanch, is another of his former Farrer teammates.
Jarrett said he was "enjoying" his rugby league "for what it is - having a few beers after footy and mucking around with your mates".
If all had gone according to plan, Brett Jarrett would be married right now.
But with his April wedding to his fiancee, Alex Stewart, fast approaching, COVID-19 arrived like a wet blanket.
Now a PE teach at Peel High, Jarrett said the wedding to his high school sweetheart had "been put on the back burner".
"We've just bought a house ... [we're] going in a different direction and we'll just wait our turn [to marry]," he said.
On Saturday, MSFD were beaten 16-11 by Carey's Freight Lines and then downed JT Fossey 20-11.
