In a huge coup both for their club and the AFL Central West league as a whole, the Giants have secured the signature of the St Kilda great for season 2022.

Though Hayes is now 42 and retired from the AFL midway through season 2014, to have someone with the class and experience of the champion midfielder - he played 297 games for the Saints - is something Giants coach Mark Kennedy knows is very special.

"I think it's absolutely fantastic for the league to build a bit of publicity, it's great not only for our team, but the league as well," Kennedy said.

"It gives a bit of interest around AFL in the Central West. We're really grateful that he chose to come and play with the Bathurst Giants."

So how did the Bathurst Giants lure the AFL great, the man who won the Norm Smith Medal in the 2010 drawn grand final, to their club?

Well, they have foundation player James Leslie to thank.

"They're actually good friends and Lenny Hayes has been doing a bit of work for James. They'd been talking about playing a bit of AFL together and because of that link he came to us," Kennedy said.

"It was a bit surreal when I first met him and had a chat, but he's so down to earth. He doesn't like fuss, he just wants to help grow the competition out here, he wants to impart some knowledge to younger players."

Though Hayes will still undoubtedly bring a touch of class to the Giants' line-up, Kennedy knows his value to the Bathurst club will be more about his vast knowledge than possessions, tackles - he held the AFL/VFL record of 1,496 tackles when he retired - marks or goals.

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On Hayes' long and impressive resume there are also two seasons as St Kilda captain and being part of the Great Western Sydney Giants' coaching staff.

"If he just brings that knowledge and experience he has from over that many years and some 300 games in AFL, if he can bring that and a level head around the ground, it will help our younger players," Kennedy said.

"It would be great if he could impart some of his knowledge not just on game day, but at training as well because he was as assistant coach for GWS for a little while as well.

"So to have that knowledge, not just as a player but with coaching, to use that to help our players and our club and our coaches, it's something that you just can't buy.

"He lives in Lithgow, so he's really looking forward to the league developing something in Lithgow - maybe an Auskick to start off with and maybe a junior side that could develop into something else down the track."

While the Giants now have an AFL great amongst their ranks - Hayes expected to make his debut in round three or four - Kennedy hopes it will not be long before the Central West league develops their own star.

"We've got not only at our club, but other teams, that they are getting players down to [GWS] Giants development squads," the coach said.

"With the kids developing through that, we could have very shortly a player develop out of the Central West playing in the AFL, that's what I'd love to see."

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