mmg.com.au

Former AFL player Ronnie Burns will become an adopted son of Rumbalara Football Club when he joins the club this season.

Burns, who turns 39 next month, played 154 games with Geelong and Adelaide between 1996 and 2004 and was the Cats’ leading goal-kicker in 1997, ’98 (equal), ’99, 2000 (equal) and 2001 (equal).

Burns was originally from near Darwin and all his family is still there.

‘‘I don’t have one relative down here at all, so hopefully the Rumbalara footy club will take me as one of their family members — an adopted son,’’ Burns said.

Burns will be joining the club as a mentor to the coaches and to help with the junior development and said he was itching to get back into the game.

He has had a four-year hiatus since playing, but has remained involved in the sport, and has been a presenter on Marngrook Footy Show the past several years.

‘‘I have been out of the game for four years because of other commitments, but I’m very itchy to get back involved and obviously Aussie Rules footy runs through my veins,’’ Burns said.

‘‘Mark Atkinson and John Murray, who is an elder in the community and also Dallas (Terlich the senior coach) came to me and asked if I could come in as a role as a mentor to the coaches and help out the coaches right through from the seniors right down to the juniors just with my experience.’’

He said he was looking forward to passing on his knowledge to the club’s junior players, both footballers and netballers, about what it takes to reach the highest level of the sport.

‘‘Trying to teach some of the kids and the senior level that it’s not always about football, it’s about what’s outside football and trying to get that balance,’’ he said.

‘‘I can pass on some of my experience and my knowledge of what I have learnt through my footy career at the highest level and also through grassroots footy.’’

He said the hardest challenge he faced was the sacrifices it took to make it to AFL level, including leaving his family in the Northern Territory to pursue his career, but said there were ‘‘some great rewards at the back of it all’’.

Burns said he had cut his weight from 105kg to his playing weight of 87kg and was keen to play a few games for Rumba, but was yet to discuss that with Terlich.

He was taking part in their training last night and said he would see how his body held up.

‘‘It’s a bit different when you are running out there and playing a contact sport. You don’t lose the talent and the nous of the game, but I think it will just come down to the body and how it is feeling,’’ he said.

‘‘I have still got to talk to Dallas. I hope that I can fit in his game plan, but I am willing to put my hand up and hopefully play a game.’’