He was the best ruckman in the AFL for more than a decade but now Shane Mumford is doing his part to grow the game in the Central West.
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Mumford has been travelling around the region this week stopping at Bathurst, Orange and finally Dubbo on Thursday, visiting schools and local clubs to help continue the growth of AFL in the Central West.
Thursday's Dubbo visit was the final of three for the towering ruckman who played 216 games in the AFL and admitted it has been great to get out west.
"It's actually been really good, the kids we've seen having been really good," he said.
"They've been wanting to learn and have really enjoyed having the AFL balls out.
"It's a great thing considering we are probably in more of a rugby heartland out here like Western Sydney as well.
"In that whole area, it's about rugby but just to see the kids enjoy themselves playing some sport."
While both rugby codes are popular in the Central West, Mumford believes the game is growing and has done so massively since he arrived at the Sydney Swans in 2010.
"It's probably been hard in the last two years with all the COVID-19 dramas going on," he said.
"To see the kids happy to have an AFL ball out is great.
"I know when I first got to Sydney all them years ago, you go out to schools and you almost weren't wanted.
"Whereas now some of the kids already have their own AFL balls there before you even bring them out.
"It's great to see that the game is growing, it's in a good place."
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Mumford and the rest of the AFL Central West staff battled some less than ideal conditions during their visits to both Bathurst and Orange earlier in the week, making Dubbo possibility his favourite of the three towns.
"It's a lot warmer here than it has been in the last two days," he said.
"It's just been good to see all the kids out there, being happy and active.
"In the end that's what it's all about.
"Obviously I love the AFL because it's a team sport but I've just been encouraging kids to try a bit of everything.
"All the groups I've spoken with are listening."
Mumford started his career at Geelong in 2008 playing 21 games for the club before moving to Sydney where he played 79 games for the Swans including winning a premiership in 2012.
The 199-cm ruckman then played 114 games for cross-town rivals the GWS Giants before retiring in 2021.
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