For a quiet guy there's a lot to be said about Sammy Kris.
Hard to miss, the big Norths ruckman has been throwing his dreadlocks into contests for about 20 years now.
Last weekend he celebreated his 250th game for the club and was chaired off Watsons Oval, a celebration that was all the more sweeter considering both Kris' reserves and the Tigers' senior side had finished the regular season at the top of the table.
"It waas a nice moment, chairing him off like that," long-time clubmate Gavin Ham said.
"He's been around so long that it's hard to remember all the stories he is famour for.
"But he's certainly a bit of a legend. He's hard to miss and everyone at the club knows who he is."
Kris rides his bicycle to games in Cairns from Gordonvale and there was a time he used to play a game of rugby league and Australian Rules every weekend and he has also acted as a recruitment officer of sorts for any Torres Strait Island talents thinking of playing footy.
"There is that connection and for years he was playing two sports on the weekend because all his relatives were asking him to come and have a game of league here or AFL there."Ham said.
"He is a quiet guy - doesn't say much - but I think everyone in the league respects him because he plays fair."
Ham is just shy of the 250-game mark himself while Dean Uebergang played his 200th for the club last season.
"There's a few of us that have been here a while and - particularly with what went on in 2004 - have hung in there," Ham said in reference to the infamous grand final fight that resulted in no premiership being awarded and a feast of lengthy suspensions.
"We've built it up again and having the two minor premierships this season is a tribute to that."
They are hardly celebrating it though, the club keen to qualify for grand finals in what will be tough semi-finals on Saturday.
"The job's nowhere near done, We'll need to control our enthusiasm so there is enough ticker left when we need it in the final moments," Ham said.
Last Modified on 03/10/2013 12:51