The car horns around the boundary's outer were blowing a bit louder on Saturday.

A new country football season had arrived for Devon Meadows locals – as so did one of the legends of Aussie rules.

Paddy Ryder donned the familiar red, white and black colours from the remarkable last three years of his decorated AFL career after committing to the Mornington Peninsula Football League club five months earlier.

The anticipation for long-suffering Panthers supporters on Melbourne's south-eastern outskirts were sky high that one of the modern day's most skillful tap ruckman was in control of the centre bounces.

The youngest club of the league across its 46 seasons is the only one of the 22 clubs yet to win a senior flag – and the nerves are starting to show.

Ryder was no different despite 281 games for Essendon, Port Adelaide and St Kilda.

But the 35-year-old pulled out an "eye-catching" performance, according to observers from the Mornington Peninsula Leader newspaper that included two goals up front to guide Devon Meadows to a 62-point win over Pearcedale.

Ryder readily admitted he was "unsure what to expect" in his first game in the second division competition after competing in the nation's top league for 17 seasons.

"I always get nervous before games – it doesn't matter where I play," he said.

"Yeah, I was pretty nervous (on Saturday). Nerves are good, though."

The West Australian looks set to play a key role in the Panthers' bid to break their premiership drought.

The recruitment of Ryder's Saints teammate Dean Kent proved on Saturday to be equally fruitful, based on the former forward racking up nearly 40 possessions up the ground.

Ryder has also not been lost to the AFL industry entirely this season between roaming around several grassroots ovals.

Essendon – the club the Noongar and Yamatji man departed in 2014 over the supplements saga – was quick to offer Ryder an off-the-field role as the club's new Indigenous officer.