Former Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin remembers as a fresh-faced 21-year-old what it was like sharing a dressing-room with Mike Veletta and Merv Hughes.
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Now, Haddin wants to be the one passing on the experience and the knowledge to the next generation of Canberra cricketers.
Haddin will turn back the clock when he makes a cameo appearance for the ACT Comets in their Futures League match against South Australia at Manuka Oval starting on Monday.
From a personal stand-point, the 38-year-old will be using the match as preparation to get time in the middle before playing for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League.
But just as important for Haddin is the opportunity to provide guidance to the young players in the Comets squad in the same way it helped him.
Haddin debuted for the Comets in their first season in the national one-day competition in the 1998-99 season when veterans like Hughes and Veletta were the senior heads of an otherwise youthful squad.
"The one thing I was very lucky with when I started in Canberra was that I had the likes of Mike Veletta and Merv Hughes lob in our change room," Haddin said.
"I know the impression that left on me, not having had the exposure to Test players in Canberra.
"It was a great education to lean on those guys.
"They didn't have to say too much, it was more the way they prepared and how they went about their cricket and they demanded that respect straight away with what they had done in the game.
"So if I get the opportunity to give some of those younger guys the feeling I had, it will all be worthwhile."
The Queanbeyan product played the 1998-99 season with the Comets before moving to Sydney to play grade cricket.
He made a few appearances for the Comets the following year before breaking into the NSW Sheffield Shield and one-day teams.
While the Comets haven't been a part of the national one-day competition for a number of years, Haddin said they still played an important role in giving young players exposure.
He cited the likes of WA paceman Jason Behrendorff, NSW batsman Ryan Carters and Test off-spinner Nathan Lyon as three prime examples of the talent in the ACT.
"I reckon it's a massive breeding ground," Haddin said.
"In the last 10 years, 10 first-class cricketers have come out of Canberra – the Behrendorffs, the Carters, Gary the GOAT (Lyon).
"The best thing I got out of it was that guys my age were trying to get noticed, whereas I got exposure straight away to first-class cricket and we were into the national competition."
The Comets have included a number of young players in their team to face SA, including Henry Hunt, Ben Taylor and Matt Condon.
Haddin went on to play 66 Tests and 126 One-Day Internationals, bowing out in style with this year's World Cup triumph.
However, he was denied a dream exit from the Test arena after losing his place to Peter Nevill mid-way through the Ashes when he took time away from the team for family reasons.
Haddin said it didn't feel strange watching the first Test against New Zealand from his loungeroom rather than being involved in it.
"I enjoyed seeing Usman Khawaja getting his first hundred and Dave Warner continuing the form he's been in," Haddin said.
"I was excited to see the first day of the summer, but from my point of view, I didn't miss wanting to be out there.
"I've had a good run, so it means I made the right decision."
