Ex-Collingwood star Leon Davis plays for Kenilworth Football Club

LEON Davis’s face lights up when he talks about his son Levi wearing the number one guernsey in junior games for Kenilworth Football Club.

LEON Davis’s face lights up when he talks about his son Levi wearing the number one guernsey in junior games for Kenilworth Football Club.

The former Collingwood star donned it during a 225-game AFL career that included two all-Australian selections and four grand final appearances.

“It’s something he wanted to wear and it took me by surprise that he still remembered,” Davis says.

“It was a deal he made with his coach – he wasn’t going to play unless he wore number one.

“His coach looked after him, got him number one and he’s doing well and having fun.”

Davis, now 33, was in Adelaide last week to watch Levi train with Kenilworth’s under-9s and make a one-off appearance for the Kookaburras in the amateur league’s division four on Saturday.

Davis kicked a goal as his team drew with Hope Valley, 15.19 (109) to 16.13 (109).

His father-in-law Cecil Graham, a long-time Kenilworth volunteer, helped the club secure the silky right-footer.

“It’s good to be able to watch (Levi), have a game for the club that he’s at ... have a bit of fun with it and meet some new people.

“I know it’s a great club, I’ve been here a couple of times before, and thought I’d chuck on the boots.”

Davis is based in WA these days and plays with his younger brother Robert in the Avon Football Association for the Quairading Bulls, a team based 160km east of Perth.

But he is considering moving to Adelaide down the track to be closer to Levi and daughter Shakari.

Davis, who retired from the AFL at the end of 2011, has no plans to hang up the boots just yet.

“As long as my body’s OK and as long I’m having fun, I’ll keep playing until I suppose I can’t get out of bed in the morning.

“I’ve got my son coming through and fortunately enough I can still have a kick with him, run around and play with him.”

Amateur league chief executive John Kernahan says Davis’s appearance is a boon for the competition.

“We were really excited about him playing for Kenilworth,” Kernahan says.

“He joins a growing list of ex-elite footballers to play in the competition, like Shane Tuck at Goodwood.”