AFL champion Luke Hodge has confirmed he will be pulling on the boots at country level this year.
The four-time Hawthorn premiership player and two-time Norm Smith Medallist will make a one-off appearance for Central Highlands Football League side Learmonth.
“Yes, stupidly,” Hodge told SEN Summer Breakfast when asked whether he would be playing at any stage this year.
“You know when you say to mates: ‘if you get a few of the boys together I’ll go and have a kick? But you say it a bit blasé?
“A couple of mates, one down at Kerang and one at Ballarat, a few school mates and a few mates I’ve grown up with over the years. We’ll get together for a kick.
“When I finished footy, I said I always wanted to go back and have a kick with school mates and mates I didn’t get a chance to play with growing up.
“I’m tipping a calf will be done in the warm-up or in the first quarter. I say it’ll be a bit tongue in cheek and a bit of fun with the boys.”
Hodge called time on his stellar 346-game career after a successful two-year spell at the Brisbane Lions.
The 35-year-old agreed to remain at the Lions in a part-time mentoring role.
Listen to Luke Hodge’s chat on SEN Breakfast in the player below