GWS ruckman Shane Mumford is “ready to roll” and will make his return to football in Friday’s AFL practice match against arch-rivals Sydney.
On the comeback trail, Mumford, who retired after the Giants’ 2017 season due to a serious foot injury, is scheduled to play the second half of the game at Blacktown.
“He hasn’t played for a year and a half so he is going to be a bit nervous,” coach Leon Cameron told AAP on Wednesday.
“Even though it is just a friendly scratch match, he’s looking forward to it. He wants to see how he is going.
We’re confident he has had a lot of work and he’s ready to roll.”
Mumford, who was part of Sydney’s 2012 premiership team, won’t be available for the Giants’ first two matches of the AFL season due to a suspension imposed after footage emerged of him snorting a white powder.
The video footage dated back to 2015, shortly after he suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
Cameron wasn’t sure if Mumford would play in either of the club’s two JLT pre- season matches.
Recently re-signed key defender Nick Haynes is the only Giant who might struggle to be available for round one, battling a back problem.
Cameron revealed a number of the club’s biggest names would play in the first JLT game, with Toby Greene and Adam Tomlinson not returning until the second pre-season match.
Injury-plagued Brett Deledio will be available for the first JLT game.
Among the established Giants who will line up with Mumford against the Swans on Friday are Harry Himmelberg, Zac Williams, Matt Buntine, Jacob Hopper, Tim Taranto and Matt De Boer.
© AAP 2019