AFL 2023: Full circle for former Dunsborough Sharks gun Reuben Ginbey this week during community camp

West Coast Eagles rising star Reuben Ginbey was king of the kids on Tuesday afternoon at Dunsborough Primary School. Ginbey, who played his junior football with the Dunsborough Sharks, clearly relished the moment several years after he was the child in this memorable situation. The Eagles, who have been in Busselton and Dunsborough this week for their annual community camp, conducted a variety of clinics and training sessions, with fans able to get up close to their heroes. However in a big year for Dunsborough — in which the Sharks made the jump to top-flight league football and club president Mark Delane was crowned WA Football Volunteer of the Year — Ginbey was thrilled to outline the strides his hometown club had taken. “I started footy with the Sharks in Year 3,” he said. “When we played footy then, it only went from Years 3-10. But (it’s great) to see the club fully grown, get new change rooms and now have ressies, women’s, league and colts teams. “It’s super exciting and to see guys like David Mundy come down and really promote footy down here is great. It’s a growing club — they only had a few (league) wins this year, but it was their first year in the comp. “It’s exciting to watch and I know they’ll keep growing and improving for the kids, and inspire them for later in life.” The 19-year-old will spend time with family and friends in Dunsborough over the festive season, however will still complete an element of fitness training. “We train up until about the 20th and then we get three weeks off,” he said. “So I’ll be back down here for those three weeks I’m sure. “Amongst all of the drinking, eating and Christmas ham kind of thing, there’ll be a lot of training in that time as well. “There’s always a fitness test when you come back, so you have to come back fitter than you were.”