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FORMER NRL star Michael Buettner said in Friday's Times that he didn't know how many minutes he'd last playing for Taree City in the Group Three Rugby League game against Wingham.
Buettner was making a one-off appearance for the club as part of the charity day to benefit Can Assist.
Taree City coach Phil Adamson said in the same edition that Buettner would start for the opening 20 minutes, then he'd see how he was faring.
Buettner went above and beyond the call of duty. He lasted the 80 minutes playing five-eighth.
The 41-year-old showed some touches of class during the game.
He went into the match without a training run with the team and didn't know any of the Taree players.
However, he managed to communicate effectively enough and was constantly urging the Bulls on.
"It was okay - good fun,'' Buettner said at fulltime after the Bulls went down 28-24.
"There was a lot of emotion in the game and it was pretty upsetting for some of them. I think the emotion flowed out on the field and you could see the intensity was there.
"The boys were certainly playing for plenty.''
Buettner certainly looked fit enough and didn't appear too fazed when he spoke to the Times after the game.
"I picked and chose my moments out there,'' he smiled when asked if he was surprised not to get a break.
"I was a bit of a passenger at times, but it was good to get out here and support the Kristylea Charity Cup. I hope the players enjoyed it as much as I did.''
Buettner said it will probably take him a couple of days to get over the match. He's not sure if he'll be back in 2015.
"I'll need a walking frame then,'' he laughed.
Adamson said Buettner 'bought a lot to the game.'
"The way he communicated with the boys was great. He taught the boys stuff they'll remember for the rest of their life. That's what it's all about.''