The former Sydney and St Kilda star, 38, pulled on the boots for the Panthers reserves away to North Albury.

Schneider played up forward and kicked three goals in the 12.17 (89) to 3.6 (24) victory at Bunton Park.

"We just want to get games of footy into our kids," Schneider explained.

"We were pretty short on numbers and the under-18s are having to double up.

"Every club's going through it.

"I was speaking to a guy who was playing and I think he was nine or 10 years older than me.

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"It's great to get games for kids and I just tried to help out."

Schneider, who called time on his AFL playing career at the end of 2015, last played for Beaumaris in the Victorian Amateur Football Association in 2016.

"I loved it," he said after the unexpected comeback.

"I'm sore as hell now but I only played a half, just to help them out.

"You've got to do what you've got to do to keep footy going and giving guys games.

"Country footy's doing it, the O and M's doing it as well and everyone's open to it.

"There's times when teams have only got 15 or 16 but you'd rather play a game of footy than not play at all."

Lavington won a tense seniors clash by 15 points with ruckman Tim Hanna one of the best on ground.

"Timmy Hanna was sensational," Schneider said.

"He competes all day.

"A lot of our guys fluctuated in the way they played but a couple of them had some big moments: Timmy Hanna, Billy Glanville and Jack Harland."

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