FORMER Koroit premiership coach Jason Mifsud is contemplating reigniting his decorated football career with reigning Warrnambool and District league premier Panmure.
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The Bulldogs yesterday lodged a clearance for Mifsud from amateur club Beaumaris, where he coached for six years until mid last season.
Panmure playing coach Simon O’Keefe, who played under Mifsud when he led Koroit to its first Hampden league premiership in 30 years in 2003, said the possibility of the power forward making a return to the field had only been discussed briefly.
O’Keefe said the pair had caught up after Mifsud played in a Koroit All Stars team against Melbourne’s Sinn Fein Ladies Gaelic Football side in a gaelic match during last month’s Koroit Irish Festival.
He asked Mifsud if he could take training one night and the former St Kilda and Western Bulldogs assistant coach agreed and then suggested he might be interested in playing.
“We are hoping he might play,” O’Keefe said.
“Whether it will be a stand-alone game or three or four, I’m not sure. We’ll just play it by ear.
“We spoke twice about it and then the rumours got out. Since then I’ve spoken to him two or three times and it’s his call. If he’s available, I will play him.”
O’Keefe said any on-field appearance by Mifsud, who was drafted by St Kilda in 1992 from Mortlake and later kicked more than 200 goals in a season with Caramut, would be a boost to the Bulldogs.
“It’s something big at Panmure,” he said.
“Having an ex-AFL assistant coach, to get someone like that around the club and the younger guys, would be huge.”
Mifsud, who turned 40 two weeks ago, denied he was considering joining Panmure when contacted by The Standard. But the clearance lodged yesterday signals a change in his plans.
O’Keefe said Mifsud had been training with a couple of clubs leading up to the gaelic match and his undoubted skill would be an asset at the undefeated Bulldogs, who sit on top of the ladder with an 8-0 record.
He said that since he started coaching at Panmure in 2012 he rang Mifsud, a former mentor of his, regularly for advice.
Mifsud is expected to take the Bulldogs’ main training session on Thursday night.
Mifsud, the AFL’s multicultural boss, was unable to be reached for comment yesterday.