Seymour’s Simba is coming home.
After a long journey to faraway lands (Western Australia), Seymour’s “Lion King” David Mundy is set to don his old club colours for the first time since he was drafted to Fremantle in 2003.
While he won’t be bringing along Timon and Pumbaa (Dockers antagonisers Hayden Ballantyne and Ryan Crowley), Mundy will provide Goulburn Valley League side Seymour with a wealth of talent, knowledge and experience from his time playing at the highest level.
Mundy was a pillar of Fremantle’s side for 19 seasons (2004-22) and, during that time, he earned a club best-and-fairest (2010) and an All-Australian blazer (2015) while also becoming the Dockers’ games record holder (376).
Seymour has announced Mundy will return to (aptly named) Kings Park for the club’s round six match against Kyabram on May 11.
Lions president Gerard O’Sullivan said the club was excited to welcome back a favourite son.
“There’s been a massive buzz around the club since we announced Dave was returning to the Den and we’re stoked to have a date in the calendar for his homecoming,” he said.
“Dave has been keen to do this for a while now and is looking forward to putting the Lions jumper on once again.
“It will be an amazing day for the club, hopefully a big crowd and plenty of support for Dave and his family.”
In more good news for Lions fans, since his retirement at the end of 2022, Mundy’s one game of local football — as part of the Carlton Draft, where former AFL players are picked up by a regional club for one game — was a match where he booted six goals to help Central Highlands Football League side Carngham Linton to a 79-point win.
However, Mundy’s time in a Lions guernsey won’t be a one-time thing in 2024, as O’Sullivan said the club was currently figuring out how many games Mundy could play for it this season.
“This certainly isn’t a one-off and we’re probably looking at several games this season that line up with Dave’s other commitments,” he said.
“We’re hoping to be in a position in the coming weeks to announce a couple more appearances at Kings Park throughout the middle of the season.
“Dave has really been driving this with us and it just goes to show what a quality person he is, looking to give back to his junior club and the Seymour community.
“We can’t wait to welcome him and his family to Kings Park and see him put on a show for the Lions faithful.”
Seymour will be hoping to join the winners’ list this weekend when it makes the trip to Princess Park to take on Shepparton Swans.