Riverina Football League
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GANMAIN-Grong Grong-Matong premiership player Nathan Irvine will return to where it all started after signing with the Lions for the upcoming Riverina Football League season.
Irvine is the latest recruit to join GGGM as the club looks to return to finals action under new captain-coach Jayden Kotzur after a disappointing season last year.
Irvine last played with the Lions in the club's 2004 premiership under Shane Lenon and spent the next seven seasons with Tuggeranong in AFL Canberra.
The 30-year-old has moved to Wagga where he has accepted the position as sports co-ordinator at Mater Dei Catholic College and was quick to reunite with his junior club.
"I'm really happy. It's good to get back there," Irvine said yesterday.
"Most of my opportunities in life have come through footy and part of that is through Ganmain so I'm happy to get back out there with Carly and Indi."
Irvine is a Lions junior and was part of GGGM's losing grand final team to Coolamon in 2000.
He spent a year with Weston Creek in Canberra before travelling back each week to play with the Lions from 2002 to 2004.
After enjoying the Lions' 2004 premiership, he joined Tuggeranong where he spent seven seasons and was eventually made vice-captain.
He retired last season and played a couple of social games with Marrar.
Irvine said he enjoyed his time at Tuggeranong.
"It was good, it's a different type of footy," Irvine said.
"Towards the end of it the expectations of travelling to Sydney four times a year, and Brisbane once a year, with a young family wasn't really viable.
"I enjoyed playing in Canberra, it was always tough though at Tuggeranong with a playing budget of about $60,000 compared to some of the clubs like Ainslie who spent half a million.
"They would pay one player more than our whole list so it was a challenge but that just made it a lot more enjoyable when you knocked them off."
Irvine is expected to line up in the midfield for GGGM as he joins Kotzur, Ben Walsh and Sam Gosbell as the new faces at Ganmain Sportsground.
Irvine is confident the Lions are headed in the right direction.
"Kotz is doing a pretty good job so far," Irvine said.
"He's not taking any shortcuts and is making it pretty clear what he expects.
"It's tough but everyone is doing it well. I would expect we can improve from last year."