South Warrnambool recruits Jeremy Mugavin for 2023 Hampden league football season

The former VFL player signed with his home club on Tuesday after more than 17 years away.

Mugavin, now 33, played in a senior premiership with the Roosters in 2006 when he was a teenager.

He progressed to the Geelong Falcons in the NAB League before a state league career at Collingwood, Richmond and Williamstown.

The VAFA has been the skilful midfielder's football home for the best part of a decade.

He played more than 190 games for Uni Blues and represented the VAFA six times.

Now, after a season off spent travelling in Europe with partner Nicola, Mugavin is eager to again play for South Warrnambool - a club his dad Noel coached to multiple premierships.

"It would be great to bookend my career at South with a premiership at either end," he told The Standard.

"But I just want to get back, get respect from the playing group and I hope I can help the playing group get closer to a premiership, that would be what the goal is, and it will also be good to come back and play country footy."

Mugavin, who played alongside fellow Roosters' recruit Dan Nicholson at Uni Blues, can be deployed in the midfield, half-back or in the forward line, as he was in Uni Blues' 2019 flag.

The stoppage specialist hopes he can complement the Mat Battistello-coached team which is coming off a preliminary final finish.

Mugavin said the fact South Warrnambool had built a core group over the past few seasons meant it was primed for a premiership tilt.

"They have a really good list at the moment and they're close to pushing the top sides or becoming one of the top sides," he said.

"I always thought one day I'd like to come and play again."

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