Shane Mumford says he’s having too much fun to consider retiring for a second time
“You’re a long time retired,” says a jovial Shane Mumford as he gives a firm right hook to the question of calling time on his career for a second time.
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“They’ll have to drag me out kicking and screaming,” laughs Shane Mumford as he gives a firm right hook to the question of retirement … again.
Not when he’s having this much fun.
The 32-year-old Giants ruckman is relishing his second stint as a player after deciding to pull on the guernsey again this season.
No formal discussions surrounding his future at the Giants have yet taken place but for Mumford, he’s certainly not talking like a man enjoying his last hurrah.
After missing last weekend’s disappointing loss to Hawthorn, he returns for his side’s clash with Carlton at Giants Stadium.
“Last week, I was a little bit stiff and sore so we decided to put the cue in the rack for a week, so to speak,” he tells The Sunday Telegraph.
It’s clear Mumford will be managed carefully as the season progresses but if the business end of the campaign arrives and the body’s still holding up, current jokey contract banter with the club’s head of football might take a serious turn.
“At the moment my body feels really good,” he said. “As to where that leads later in the year, it’s a big ‘wait and see’ at the moment.
“Nothing formal (has been discussed). I always muck around with Wayne Campbell about it a bit but like I said we’ll wait till later on in the year and see how my body’s going before there’s any sort of decision made.
“But I’m definitely not saying never. I’m more than happy to play on next year if my body’s up to it.
“You’re a long time retired.
“There’s no regrets at all (about resuming his playing career). I’m absolutely loving being out there.”
Board member Jimmy Bartel blasted last weekend’s defeat against Hawthorn but Mumford said the players are well aware they came up short and has no problem with Bartel having his say.
“I think it all comes down to effort and intensity,” Mumford said. “The competition is so close that you’ve only got to be a few per cent off and any team can beat you on their day.
“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion on how we’ve played. Hawthorn played some great footy and made us look quite bad at times. We know what we served up wasn’t good enough and it’s not going to get us to where we want to be at the end of the year.
“So we’ve reviewed the game and looked at what we need to work on and we work on those things for the rest of the year.”
Mumford’s sporting skills also extend to boxing of course and he’s still hoping to do battle in the ring with Cronulla’s Paul Gallen at some stage.
“I’ve haven’t been able to do a whole lot since the season started,” he said. “I am looking to try and do a bit more as the year progresses and try and get some sort of fight happening later on in the year.
“The Gallen fight will still be a little while off yet. I’d like to get another one or two in before him.”
Originally published as Shane Mumford says he’s having too much fun to consider retiring for a second time
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