IT will be like he never left. Indigenous football's longest-serving player, Andrew McLeod, will run out on to the Gabba next month to lead the Northern Territory Thunder in the 16-team North East Australian Football League's Foxtel Cup.
McLeod has signed a six-game deal that will see him represent the NT in what is a massive coup for the fledgling club, which began life two years ago.
He said the chance to give something back to Territory football was too good to pass up.
"It's a great opportunity for me to be involved in the Foxtel Cup, but also to be involved in the Thunder and give something back to the Northern Territory," McLeod said.
"So for me to go back and play a role as a mentor ... I'm pretty excited about it."
The 340-game AFL player has maintained his fitness despite retiring from elite level football at the end of last season.
"You don't have to put yourself through 22 rounds ... so I guess this concept suits someone players like myself who are looking to play, not a whole season, but some footy," he said.
"I haven't really stopped training; I train most days and I've kept myself in pretty reasonable shape. I’m just looking forward to this opportunity."
McLeod will turn out for the Thunder against Morningside at the Gabba on March 26, which will be the curtain-raiser to the Brisbane Lions v Fremantle AFL round 1 premiership match.
Last Modified on 09/02/2011 16:39