But the Belconnen Magpies great isn't contemplating a return to the AFL Canberra competition where he notched up 242 senior games and four premierships.

It's time to run water for his daughter Maggie and son Harry. Or maybe he will pick up a clipboard as an assistant coach.

Because he finally has the chance after stepping away from his role as the AFL's ACT and southern NSW regional manager after eight years in charge.

The Belconnen Magpies great just knew it was time to go as he prepares to link up with the YMCA in Canberra as an executive manager overseeing centre operations in the capital.

"Stepping away from the AFL will allow me to be a bit more involved, whether it be as an assistant coach or running water or whatever," Mahar said.

"It's something I haven't been keen to do given I've been trying to make sure I don't compromise the position I've got by being linked to one team or another, I'm always having to try be as neutral as possible.

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"My kids are involved with footy now, and my social world is footy. It's an opportunity to separate footy from work for me.

"The kids are at a great age, and a new role hopefully will allow me to enjoy their sport and their youth, I'll be able to play a part in it."

AFL Canberra officials are working to appoint a replacement after Mahar ended his nine-year stint with the football body.

Before long he found himself at the centre of a strange time for football in the region as Canberra clubs began dropping out of the newly-formed NEAFL.

Tuggeranong, Queanbeyan, Belconnen, and Ainslie would ultimately walk away from the second tier competition while Eastlake rebadged its NEAFL program as the Canberra Demons.

Mahar says having one NEAFL team playing out of Canberra is the way things always should have been.

But overseeing that tumultuous period isn't the one thing that springs to mind when he thinks of a highlight.

That would be the multi-million dollar redevelopment of Phillip Oval to house AFL Canberra and Cricket ACT at the venue.

"It's where I played my first senior game of footy," Mahar said.

"To be able to have a home of footy, a talented player program, our umpires train here, we've held junior grand finals and community grand finals here, and just have a home where we can interact with the ground and things like that is something I'm really proud of.

"Hopefully it will continue for many years into the future. That's something I've really enjoyed as well.

"I've done quite a lot since I have been there, with Phillip Oval being a great achievement and experience for me, to be able to create a home for AFL and cricket at the one venue."