Hawthorn champion Shaun Burgoyne says he’s turned down two offers to play local football in Darwin.
The 38-year-old called time on his AFL career at the end of the 2021 season after winning four premierships across 407 games with the Hawks and Port Adelaide.
However, Burgoyne floated the prospect of playing a one-off game for Mallee Park in Port Lincoln, his junior club growing up.
“I’ve actually had a couple of phone calls,” Burgoyne told Sportsday.
“Two came from Darwin to see if I wanted to play up there. I said, ‘no thanks’ because I didn’t want to die in the sun up there.
“I’ll potentially go back home to Mallee Park and play one game there, that’s about it really.
“I’m looking forward to actually going to watch the amateurs play and having a beer sitting in a deck chair to be honest.”
Since hanging up the boots, Burgoyne has accepted a multi-faceted off-field role at Port Adelaide, returning to Alberton after being traded at the end of 2009.
“It’s going to be across a few different things,” Burgoyne said.
“I’ll have a little bit to do with list management. Jason Cripps is the list manager, so I’ll be working with him.
“Government and corporate relations, there’s a number of sponsors they’ve got and I’ll try and raise some money to help the club.
“I’ll be the Indigenous liaison officer with the Indigenous boys there and some leadership and mentoring stuff.
“At the moment, it’s across a few different things. It’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
Burgoyne won a premiership with the Power in 2004 – the club’s first AFL flag – and played 157 games for the club.