Stephen Milne to play for Yarragon this weekend

For the first time in almost a decade a former AFL leading goalkicker will return to country footy this weekend presenting him with an opportunity to play with a “good mate”.

Former St Kilda player Stephen Milne isn’t promising a bag of goals for Yarragon this weekend.

Instead he’s hoping to guide the Ellinbank and District league club to four points.

Milne will don the boots for the Panthers this Saturday in an important game against Trafalgar.

A win would keep the side in the top-five and finals hunt while a loss could put the team two and a half games behind in the finals race with seven matches to go in the home-and-away season.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to the country,” Milne said.

“I’ve been doing a few of these (guest appearances) over the years, and I know Ricky Nixon who was looking for a past player to play.”

Milne is going to make a weekend of it, and is already familiar with one of the players in the Panthers team.

“I’m a good mate of Trav Davis, so I’m looking forward to going up and playing with him,” he said.

“I’m going to get up there and watch the 2s and stay the night and weekend. I’ve got a few mates coming down.

“Hopefully we can raise some money and get an extra couple of hundred people at the gate.”

Milne will play for the club and be part of a sportsman’s dinner to be held later in the day with former Collingwood player Dane Swan.

He joins a host of ex-AFL players to come back to country footy to play in recent weeks, including Bernie Vince who kicked eight goals for Maryborough Rovers as part of the Carlton Draft last Saturday.

“He should have kicked 14 or 15, he had a very good day,” Milne said.

“If I get a couple of kicks, I’ll be happy.

“More importantly I just want to get a win.”

Milne, 43, has played two games this season, the first for Kilcunda Bass in the West Gippsland league before playing for Collie in Western Australia earlier this month as part of a one-off game.

He kicked five goals in those contests.

Stephen Milne playing for Strathfieldsaye in the 2015 Bendigo grand final. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

This will be the first country football game for Milne since he played for Strathfieldsaye in the Bendigo league almost a decade ago.

He was the leading goalkicker in 2014 with 101 goals and helped the team to premierships in 2014 and 2015.

Despite being a little bit older, Milne is confident he’ll play a role.

Stephen Milne, is still involved at Beaumaris, who he played for a few years ago. Picture: Mark Dadswell

“I’m an assistant coach at Beaumaris (VAFA) so I’ll join in a few of the drills,” he said.

“My body is feeling okay for a 43-year-old.

“Hopefully I’ll play deep forward, I’ve never really ventured in the midfield.”

Milne and Yarragon will play at 2.10pm at Dowton Park.