Former NRL big man Mitchell Sargent is set to join the club for a guest appearance as the Canowindra product will lace the boots up at Tom Clyburn Oval one, last time.

It's been almost 25 years since the former North Queensland Cowboy played at his hometown as he left the club for Orange CYMS when he was 16, wrapping up an eight-year stint.

He played with the green and golds for a couple of seasons before making the move to Sydney for what turned out to be a prosperous professional career.

Saturday's hit-out will be Sargent's first since a Cowboys' reunion game in 2018 and he appears primed to make an instant impact on the field.

Along with his partner Silvia, Sargent invested in Cessnock's Snap Fitness Centre five years ago and thinks he's as healthy as he's ever been.

"To be honest, I'm probably more clued in with fitness and health now than what I was when I was in the NRL," Sargent said.

"It's still going to be a bit of a shock to the system but I've been training with some local sides here at Cessnock and we've been doing some defensive work and conditioning."

But, enough about Sargent's beep test scores, the big question here is why?

Why would a 40-year-old ex-NRL professional dust off the boots and play for a bush footy club after a ten-year hiatus? Well, that's easy.

"I really wanted to get back to the town and do something but I've never had the time," he said.

"I was having a beers with my cousin (Blaise Marsh) a couple of months and he was saying it was Canowindra's 100^th year and I should come play.

"A couple of months later he asked me if I was going to play... I told him as long as it's OK with the boys then I'll happily have a run.

"My biggest thing is not taking positions away from other players but if it's all good with them, then I'm keen."

Coach Kev Grimshaw hasn't given Sargent any indication as to where he'll play, or how many minutes he'll see but either way, he's just excited to return to the town for such a special day.

"My Mum, Dad and Step Dad all still live there, so do my cousins," he said.

"It's going to be great to go back out there."

Canowindra's first-grade side will round out the club's centenary day with a 3pm kick-off against the Cargo Heelers at Tom Clyburn Oval.

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