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Giants open to Mumford return

Former Giant Shane Mumford could make a surprise comeback to the AFL in 2019 and Greater Western Sydney is open to his return if his body his right.

The 32-year-old veteran was forced to retire last season due to a navicular fracture in his foot, accepting that his battered body needed a rest.

He has worked as a part-time ruck coach this year with the Giants and, with the depth of the club's ruck stocks tested in 2018 and Rory Lobb potentially departing, Giants football manager Wayne Campbell made it clear the club was happy to consider having the big man on the list in 2019.

"We're looking at a range of options to strengthen our list ahead of 2019 and if it was thought Shane's body is up to it and he has the desire to play AFL again, we will have a conversation with him," Campbell said.

Shane Mumford may be back in action next year.

Shane Mumford may be back in action next year.

Photo: AAP

Mumford, who played 172 games for Geelong, Sydney and the Giants, was reluctant to retire but accepted medical advice that it was the right decision. A premiership player at the Swans, he was a key player at the Giants.

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Meanwhile, West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff is yet to make a decision on where he will play next year, with a decision expected by the weekend.

Gaff's manager Paul Connors emphatically denied a report that the player had informed his Eagles' teammates he would be leaving to join North Melbourne.

Gaff's decision has come down to a choice between staying at the Eagles or joining North Melbourne if he moves back home to Victoria.

"Under no circumstances has he made a decision. He has spent the last 48 hours celebrating the premiership with his teammates," Connors said.

Andrew Gaff has been celebrating West Coast's premiership with teammates.

Andrew Gaff has been celebrating West Coast's premiership with teammates.

Photo: AAP

"Now that the season is over he will take time to reflect on what his decision will be."

Connors is also handling Dylan Shiel, who is also to make a decision on his future. Shiel is contracted to Greater Western Sydney for next year but is weighing up options to move back to Victoria.

He met Carlton in Noosa on Tuesday and will meet other clubs this week with Essendon, Hawthorn and St Kilda also pressing to secure the midfielder.

Shiel, who grew up barracking for Carlton, is one of two Giant midfielders potentially moving, with the Blues and Essendon also interested in Will Setterfield.

Bulldogs premiership ruckman and defender Jordan Roughead remains among a mix of players under consideration at the Eagles as they take stock following their premiership.

The decision of Eagles' premiership ruckman Scott Lycett, who like Roughead is a free agent, holds the key to the Eagles' ruck stocks in 2019 with the club also interested in contracted St Kilda ruckman Tom Hickey and contemplating how hard they pursue Giants' big man Rory Lobb, who is hopeful of returning to WA.

If Lycett informs the Eagles he is joining Port Adelaide, as most expect, then they will be in a position to make some decisions, however few calls are expected to be made official before tomorrow night's West Coast best-and-fairest ceremony.

Gaff's decision could also determine whether the Eagles make a play for Geelong's Tim Kelly, whose immediate future remains unclear.

The contracted 24-year-old midfielder is happy at Geelong but if he decides he wants to move home for family reasons, the Cats are understood to be open to the idea of trading him only if they can get a high draft pick in return.

It's unclear what the Eagles would be able to offer, with their first pick set to be pick 21 after the Suns receive compensation for losing Tom Lynch.

Geelong, North Melbourne and Gold Coast have met father-son and academy prospect Bailey Scott, but he is no rush to make a decision on which club he nominates ahead of the draft.

Richmond flanker Reece Conca is poised to move home to WA to join Fremantle on a four-year deal, however he will need to undergo a medical before any offer is made while out-of-contract Collingwood defender Tom Langdon has received a new contract offer from the Magpies.

His unsigned status at this late stage of the year prompted interest from other clubs and the 24-year-old, who had an outstanding finals series, has a decision to make, however his housemate Darcy Moore looks set to stay.

Contract discussions with Magpie midfielder Levi Greenwood are also underway.

Michael Gleeson is a senior AFL football writer and Fairfax Media's athletics writer. He also covers tennis, cricket and other sports. He won the AFL Players Association Grant Hattam Trophy for excellence in journalism for the second time in 2014 and was a finalist in the 2014 Quill Awards for best sports feature writer. He was also a finalist in the 2014 Australian Sports Commission awards for his work on Boots for Kids. He is a winner of the AFL Media Association award for best news reporter and a two-time winner of Cricket Victorias cricket writer of the year award. Michael has covered multiple Olympics, Commonwealth Games and world championships and 15 seasons of AFL, He has also written seven books – five sports books and two true crime books.

Peter Ryan joined The Age in 2017 having covered AFL as a senior reporter with AFL Media.

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