Mathew Lyons joining growing list leaving Gundagai

After returning to Gundagai on the eve of the Group Nine season, the damaging centre is looking to take his game to another level again.

After hamstring issues derailed his 2022 season, Lyons elected to return home to the Riverina.

However he feels his time with the Tigers have reinvigorated his game.

"We didn't have the best year at Gundagai but we had a good bunch of boys there and it made me enjoy footy again," Lyons said.

"It made me feel like I wanted to go do it again."

As such he's secured a deal with Queensland Cup outfit Sunshine Coast Falcons.

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The 25-year-old left Gundagai for a similar opportunity after being part of their 2020 premiership.

This time he's looking to make it count.

"I don't want to die wondering," Lyons said.

He feels he is in a better place to really make the most of another opportunity.

"I just wasn't enjoying it that much, I wasn't enjoying footy, so I came home," Lyons said.

"Now I want to go do footy again and go give it another crack.

"I'm injury free now, I've got my body right so I want to go do footy again."

Gundagai loss to Lyons' junior club Southcity saw their premiership defence end in the final round of the season.

They won two more games than Albury, who snuck into fifth place on points differential, but the Thunder had two more byes throughout the year.

Lyons again got the chance to play alongside his brother Jack.

Despite the Tigers' uncustomary finish, Lyons feels the club will be better off for giving a number of their younger talents a taste of first grade.

"It was good to play with Jack again and it's a good bunch of boys but it was just a very different team and a very young team," Lyons said.

"They will be better for it next year."

His departure adds to a growing list of players leaving Gundagai this season.

After missing out on a finals berth this season, the Tigers will now be without Lyons, Canberra-based recruits Tristan Eldridge and Noa Vanisi as well as Joe Bromage for next season.

Best and fairest winner Royce Tout is also yet to confirm his plans for 2024 while Jack Lyons is another yet to commit after travelling from Griffith to play with Gundagai this year.

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