As Kezie Apps gears up to continue her remarkable State of Origin journey, she remains uncertain about how she maintains her performance but is adamant about her desire to keep playing.
At 35 years of age, she holds the distinction of being the oldest player in this year's Origin series, spanning both the men's and women's competitions.
Her journey with New South Wales dates back to a time before Origin was established, as she debuted during the interstate challenge era, making her the first player recorded as "Blue number one" in the inaugural Origin match in 2018.
Despite reaching an age where many athletes have begun to decline, Apps continues to excel as one of the premier backrowers in the sport.
A dozen years after her first appearance for the state, she has been promoted to the starting lineup for Origin II next week in Brisbane, after beginning the season on the bench in Newcastle.
While Apps talks about her enduring career as if it's effortless, the truth is, if it were that simple, everyone would thrive at her level.
"(You last so long) because you love it so much, and you want to be better year on year. I love playing. I love training. I love everything about staying fit and healthy and working on yourself and having a goal, and being part of this group and this campaign," Apps said.
"You don't want to miss out; you want to make sure you do everything you can. To make sure you put yourself in the best position to be here."
"When you get older, you get a bit smarter, a bit wiser. You know how your body works more, what you need to do to recover better, and how to eat well and get enough sleep. I love my sleep, and I do all the recovery stuff; go for a massage? OK!"