Australia's evergreen footy player reveals the secrets to still going strong on the field at the ripe old age of 76

At 76 and officially recognised as Australia's oldest footy player, Neil Rainbow is living proof age is just a number.

Rainbow has a run with Bega-Tathra in the AFL Sapphire Coast competition on the NSW south coast each winter - and is said to still be holding his own against opponents who are a third of his age.

In his heyday, Rainbow reportedly received interest from VFL and VFA clubs before opting to join the Coburg amateurs in Melbourne.

Once he moved interstate in his 50s, Rainbow had no desire to throw away his footy boots - and now he reckons he has played around a thousand games.

He has since featured for almost every club in the local league, beginning with the Merimbula Marlins.

'I thought if I could play one game in the Sapphire Coast AFL, that's going to be terrific,' he told the ABC.

'There was a bit of criticism — [a few said] what's the old guy doing out there?'

Rainbow brushed the haters aside, and remarkably has gone onto play more than 200 games in the competition.

His teammates label him the GOAT - the greatest of all time - and Rainbow plans to continue playing as long as his body holds up because he's motivated by what sport brings into his life.

'The friendships that I've made... you can't beat that,' he said.

'I'm too young for that [retirement] at the moment ... I don't feel old.

'Don't [ever] let anyone tell you that you can't do things. You have to live life… because life can be short.'