Richmond premiership player Shaun Grigg is returning home to play with Redan in the Ballarat Football League.
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The Lions are still to confirm when he will make his first appearance in maroon and gold, but they have not ruled out it might be as early as their clash with Sebastopol at the City Oval on Saturday, July 7.
This is Redan's only home game in July and would be the perfect platform to unveil Grigg.
The signing provides even greater momentum to Redan's emergence as a premiership contender under first-year playing coach Jarrett Giampaolo.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Redan Football Club would love to have Shaun Grigg back
Redan is on top of the ladder after nine rounds, having lost just one game.
Lining up with Redan for the rest of the season will complete a full circle in Grigg's football career, with him having started out as a Redan junior.
Grigg retired from Richmond in May shortly before the AFL mid-season draft, with the 31-year-old bringing down the curtain after 214 games with Carlton and Richmond in 13 seasons.
Redan stated shortly after Grigg's retirement that he would always be welcome back in the club in some capacity.
Club president Gary Goyne said at the time that Redan would one day love to have Grigg back.
"He's a Redan junior, a man of great integrity, and he's kept in contact with Redan, so it would be great to have him involved," Goyne said.
Grigg has attended Redan games and functions whenever his AFL commitments have allowed, and is friends with several Lions players.
The 2017 Richmond premiership player made a final call on his AFL career after knee and hip issues prevented him from playing this season.
Redan board member Damian Linton, who has been a key figure in negotiations with Grigg, said the Lions could not be certain when he would step out with them for the first time.
He said it was about Grigg's body being right.
Grigg has had some minor surgery since leaving Richmond.
Linton said if all went to plan Grigg would train with Redan for the first time next Thursday.
He said Grigg's body would determine when he resumed playing.
Carlton recruited Grigg via North Ballarat Rebels with pick 19 in the 2006 national draft.
He debuted with the Blues in 2007 and went on to play 43 games in four seasons before being traded to Ricmond in 2011.
Grigg played 171 games with the Tigers and is a Richmond life member.