He always had extra power bait when he went fishing with his mates, and he always put his hand up to drive so the boys could sink a beer at the Snow Goose Hotel on the way home from Lake Eucumbene.

One of those fishing mates is Queanbeyan Tigers veteran Neil Irwin, who has come out of retirement to pay tribute to late clubman Daniel after he died following a heart attack last October.

The 36-year-old ruckman will have Daniel's name on his mind and on his chest when the Tigers face the Eastlake Demons at Manuka Oval on Saturday.

Daniel's name is emblazoned below the club crest on Queanbeyan's playing jumpers this season with the former clubperson of the year remembered for his unwavering dedication to the Tigers.

"I was pretty good mates with Ray, he was one of my fishing buddies. It was pretty tough, his passing. It’s usually next weekend we go fishing actually, the long weekend in June," Irwin said.

"I remember one time he had looked at the forecast [before we went fishing], he’d gone out and got me a hot water bottle and got that all ready for me and I didn’t even know about it. Just little things like that.

"He was just a really good bloke, always thinking about other people, loved his fishing. It was probably a bit harder for him to get out fishing when his wife came down with dementia, you could see that take a toll on him.

"Even then, he still wanted to try and do everything for everyone when realistically everyone should have been trying to help him out. I suppose that describes the man.

"If there were more Ray's in the world, the world would be a far better place."

The club made an emotional tribute to Daniel following their season opener on April 21 when senior players and officials gathered in one big circle in the centre of Margaret Donoghoe Oval to honour his memory.

"It’s good to see that everyone else held him in such high regard, as high regard as I do, and see they don’t take him for granted. To be honest I knew they would," Irwin said.

"Everyone around that footy club is just fantastic, it’s just like one big family. Not only just with ray’s passing, when we’ve had people pass in the past everyone just gets around everyone.

"That’s what makes it such a great club and makes it easy for everyone to come back."

Irwin retired from his Tigers duties in 2014 before taking the opportunity to play in the bush alongside his mate Toby Conroy at Leeton Whitton in the Riverina League.

The way Irwin's time finished in the Riverina led Tigers coach Dave Corcoran to joke "it was a bit of a shock" for him to actually drive to Queanbeyan's games this year.

Irwin had been flown from Canberra to the Riverina on a private plane for Leeton Whitton's grand final tilt following the birth of his daughter last year.

"I was spent, I was done [after last season]," Irwin said.

"That was a pretty dramatic week for me, obviously having my daughter on the Friday just before the game, and then Toby Conroy arranging a private plane to get me to the game.

"I thought well that was a pretty good way to finish. As it happens I’m back, I’m enjoying footy. The body is holding together, just. I’ve had a few setbacks with the calf but it seems like I’ve overcome that which is good."

AFL CANBERRA ROUND SIX

Saturday: Tuggeranong Hawks v Gungahlin Jets at Greenway Oval, 1.30pm. Belconnen Magpies v Ainslie Tricolours at The Nest at Kippax Oval, 2pm. Eastlake Demons v Queanbeyan Tigers at Manuka Oval, 2pm.

NEAFL ROUND NINE

Saturday: Redland Bombers v Canberra Demons at Scottsdale Park, 12pm.