Learmonth footballer Matt Jackson can't wait for a football reunion more than 15 years in the making.
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Jackson will play his 100th open age match for the club in the opening round of the Central Highlands Football League season and will do so alongside three of his good friends.
The headline act is undoubtedly AFL great Luke Hodge, who will make the trip to Learmonth and pull on the blue and yellow jumper for the battle with Rokewood-Corindhap.
Hodge only retired from the AFL at the end of last season, bringing down the curtain on a glittering career at the top level that spanned 346 games and reaped four premierships.
READ MORE: AFL great Luke Hodge to play in the CHFL
Also joining the pair is former VFL players Jake Carmody and Micah Buchanan. Carmody most recently played with Ocean Grove and Buchanan with Geelong Amateur.
Jackson, now 35, said all four last played together as a group while students at Colac's Trinity College.
"In year 11 I think we played at school. We had a pretty handy school footy side back then," Jackson said.
"All of us never really thought we would all play again together. It's definitely exciting for us all."
Jackson said it was planned that Hodge would stay around and socialise in Learmonth after the April 18 clash with the Grasshoppers.
Hodge will work with Channel 7 as a commentator this year and also holds a mentor coaching role with the Brisbane Lions.
He is expected to be working in Perth the night before the CHFL round one encounter.
Hodge spoke on SEN radio on Tuesday and talked about his upcoming appearance with Learmonth.
"I'm tipping a calf will be done either in the warm-up to it or in the first quarter," Hodge joked.
"When I finished footy, I said I always wanted to go back and have a kick with school mates and mates I didn't get a chance to play with growing up.
"I'd say it would be a bit of tongue in cheek and a little bit of fun with the boys."
Hodge was drafted as the number one pick in 2001 and at Hawthorn won four premierships and two Norm Smith medals. He was All-Australian on three occasions and won the club's best and fairest award - the Peter Crimmins Medal - twice.
Learmonth president Steve Biggin told The Courier on Monday that the clash was going to be a big one for the club.
"It's going to help us in a lot of aspects and it could be as big as a grand final out there," he said.
"Luke Hodge is a respected player by everybody so it's going to be exciting."
