'He's one of my best mates': Vardy eager to reunite with past AFL teammate

Motlop, 32, joins last year's Hampden league runner-up after a 217-game AFL career with Geelong and Port Adelaide between 2009 and 2022.

He was drafted to the Cats the year before Vardy and ever since meeting the pair have been close friends.

"He's obviously a very good footballer but he's one of my best mates so to be able to play footy with him again's going to be very enjoyable," Vardy told The Standard.

"We've been friends pretty much since the day I walked in the rooms at Geelong. I left at the end of 2016 and he left at the end of 2017. It's been a little while so it'll be good to lace up the boots again."

Vardy confirmed the Darwin-based utility would fly in for games during the season but was unsure how many appearances he would make.

"Hopefully (he'll play) more (games) than less," he said.

"It'll be a work in progress what works for him and what works for us. We're just hoping to get as many as we can.

"If we're lucky enough to find ourselves in the finals at the pointy end then hopefully he can stick around for the duration of those games."

The Eagles mentor said he was hopeful the marquee recruit would debut in the first month of the season.

Motlop is currently preparing for an elimination final in the Northern Territory league, where he will line up for Pint against Southern Districts on Saturday, February 24.

He has featured in the Greenants' best players 10 times from 14 games, helping the side qualify for its maiden men's premier league finals series.

At the elite level, the former Cats and Power speedster was renowned for his match-winning ability in front of goal and in the midfield but has thrived in a half-back role for Pint this season.

Vardy said he could play "anywhere" for the Eagles.

"Obviously there's blokes that play with us every week so you don't want to disgruntle the team too much but I'm sure wherever we decide to play him he's going to have some impact," he said.

"He's still going pretty well, I just hope when he does come down and play that first game that it's not the dirty, wet winter, that we know can come in Warrnambool and scares him off from coming back.

"I think he'll bring a lot of experience for one and he's obviously a very classy player which is hopefully something he can do in the Hampden league and help us win games."

Motlop moved back home to Darwin after calling time on his professional career in 2022, where he resides with wife Kelly, who is originally from Lorne.

When not playing football he works for Indigenous-owned food and beverage company Something Wild.