![Dylan Conway (centre) kicked three goals in Williamstown's 2015 grand final win. Dylan Conway (centre) kicked three goals in Williamstown's 2015 grand final win.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/andrew.moir/34baace5-a311-4604-8f05-ac05b268518e.jpg/r0_0_2175_2995_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Yarrawonga's mid-season recruit is planning to play his first game on July 15 in the Ovens and Murray Football League.
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And even though Dylan Conway hasn't played since round six last year, with Melton South in the Ballarat Football League, he's vowed to give the comeback everything.
"100 per cent, every game I play and the boys who've I've played with before will vouch for this, I'm coming to play and win," he offered.
The 31-year-old played in a premiership at Williamstown in 2015 with Pigeons' players Leigh Masters, Willie Wheeler and Michael Gibbons.
He then played in a flag at fellow VFL club Port Melbourne in 2017 before increasing work commitments with his gym in Williamstown forced him out of state level.
And it's his passion for health, both physical and mental, which is the reason Conway will be forced to wait another fortnight to return.
He tackled a near 1000-km ultra marathon from Sydney to Melbourne in May, to raise funds and awareness for his Holla Foundation, which encourages people to have vulnerable conversations about mental health.
However, Conway was forced out.
"I had severe tendonitis in the ankle, by day three, I couldn't lift my foot and the swelling was outrageous," he said.
I had severe tendonitis in the ankle, by day three, I couldn't lift my foot and the swelling was outrageous.
- Dylan Conway
"I've since had two cortisones in the foot and have had some calf issues.
"I train pretty hard in the gym, but wasn't able to run for a while after the trip."
Conway and his small group raised $70,000 for the Holla Foundation.
"Getting up every day after running 100kms, it's hard to put into words what that's like," he revealed.
"It's a lot more of a mental game than playing footy, there you've got the two hours, you're in and you're out, but you've got to set yourself for 12-15 hours a day and there's no way to make it go quicker.
"One day we finished at 12.30 (am) and you're up five hours later."
Conway was joined on the run by Masters for around an hour, but he took a lighthearted jab at the immensely popular Wheeler's athletic prowess.
"'Wheels' is a plodder, I don't think he's moved very fast for 10 years," he laughed.
"There's about six or seven that I've already played with so I can't wait to get up there."
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The competition leaders host North Albury on July 1 and then meets Wangaratta in a grand final re-match, before Wodonga Raiders on July 15.
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