Originally from Whitton, a small town tucked away in the south of the Riverina, he picked up a job working for Coles as a teenager and spent stints of a year or two in Leeton, Canberra, and Sydney.

But when he set foot in Gunnedah for the first time, in 1966, it marked the beginning of a love affair. One that, nearly six decades later, resulted in his induction into AFL NSW's inaugural Hall of Fame.

He thought it was "the best town to be in", although that might have been because it was where his future wife, Judith, grew up.

"I got transferred to Gunnedah for the first time in 1966 for work," Lenton said.

"I met my wife and got married in '68, then went back to Sydney and played with Western Suburbs."

The Lentons finally returned to Gunnedah for good in 1973 when he was hired as a sales manager by Coca-Cola - a position he held for 30 years.

With roots firmly laid in town, Lenton was finally free to pursue the second great love of his life: AFL.

Growing up in the Riverina, both rugby league and Aussie Rules were popular. So, Lenton played the former on Saturday mornings and the latter on Saturday afternoons. Eventually, however, he opted to commit to AFL.

"I just preferred it, and that's where all my mates were playing," he said.

Before he moved to the North West, Lenton put together an admirable on-field career. He played in Canberra's first grade competition and was selected for the ACT side, won two premierships with Western Suburbs (where he was also named in the club's team of the century), and represented NSW.

But upon his return in the mid-70s, Gunnedah didn't have a team. So Lenton decided to change that.

Luckily, he said, Judith and their kids, Nathan and Natasha, were all fans of the sport and supported his dedication to the local competition.

"[Judith] loves it," Lenton said.

"Our son, Nathan, played and represented NSW and the ACT. He went to Western Suburbs in Sydney, and then went to Campbelltown who had a team in Canberra in the late 90s.

"My daughter played in Gunnedah's first women's premiership. She was a pretty talented touch player as well."

He was president of the Bulldogs for their inaugural season in 1977, when they played in the Armidale competition. The next year, Lenton was part of a group that established the North West association, in which Gunnedah would compete from then on.

He also coached the side that year, as well. And once he stopped playing, he kept coaching "on and off" for the next two decades. The team won two premierships in the 70s, two in the eighties, and one in the 90s, before Lenton finally handed over the reins for good.

Almost three decades since he last oversaw the team, Lenton remains involved with the Gunnedah Bulldogs as a committee member.

And, in recognition for almost five decades of service to the sport locally, he was one of 100 named in AFL NSW's inaugural Hall of Fame last week.

"I was very chuffed ... it's pretty exciting when you get your name in that," Lenton said.

He will be among the roughly 60 living inductees who attend a gala dinner on May 3 in their honour.

The next day, they will take their seats at the SCG for the derby match between the Sydney Swans and the GWS Giants.

For a man whose streak of attending 46 straight AFL grand finals in Melbourne was only broken by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be a fitting celebration.