Many people could be mistaken for thinking it is grand final week for Bunyip this week. The air of excitement around the club is close to it.
While it is rivalry round for the Bulldogs as they play host to neighbouring Garfield, the host club has a a couple of other VIP guests on its radar this Saturday.
Four-time AFL premiership star Isaac Smith will pull on the red, white and blue for a special one-off appearance this weekend as part of the AFL's Carlton Draft initiative that sees retired AFL players drafted to struggling clubs in country Victoria.
And, as an added bonus, Bunyip will welcome back home town hero Shane Mumford for the day who has juggled his GWS commitments to be a part of the marquee event.
For Smith, it will be the first time he has pulled on the boots since retiring from league football with the Cats last year.
Smith played 280 matches for Hawthorn and Geelong across his career, winning four premierships - three for the Hawks and one for the Cats.
On retirement he was keen to get involved in the Carlton Draft initiative.
"It's good to give back to local footy.
Being involved with a couple of "struggling clubs" in his pre-AFL days, Smith said he knew it would it would have been great to have an AFL player come to the club, give advice, boost the players and "bring a bit of joy to the club."
After 14 years of professional football, Smith said he was keen to give his body "a bit of downtime."
Admitting this weekend will be the first time he has kicked a footy since last year, he is hoping old fitness regimes prevail when he hits the field on Saturday.
Some pre-match conversations with the club, indicated Smith's willingness to play half-back or half-forward positions or as he said - "I'll just go wherever the ball is, within the rules of the game of course."
Well aware of the neighbouring rivalry between Bunyip and Garfield, Smith said he was looking forward to getting back to country football.
He said AFL was so professional but country football was all about volunteers and families - "it's a great social place."
"I don't know a lot about Bunyip but I am really looking forward to it and hopefully we can get the win - that will be the cherry on the top," he said.
For the Bulldogs, who have not won a senior match since August 2022, there are high hopes Smith and Mumford will deliver what the club needs.
Mumford, played for Bunyip before his stint in the big league, playing 216 AFL matches for Geelong, Sydney and Greater Western Sydney.
Primarily playing as a ruck, 'Mummy' won a premiership with Sydney in 2012.
He earned a reputation in the league for his size and physical style of play and became somewhat of a cult hero in AFL circles.