Former Canberra Raiders captain Alan Tongue could reclaim his title of the most popular man in the nation's capital, with the rugby league workhorse the ACT's Australian of the Year finalist for 2017.

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Tongue has taken his trademark work ethic off the field, with the Aspire program he founded making major inroads in rehabilitating young and adult prisoners around the ACT.

Tongue's program focuses on mentoring juvenile offenders and combatting violence.

"When I finished my career I lived not far away from the juvenile justice centre," Tongue said.

"I've always had a passion for community and the youth and I just went over there with a bag of footballs, started a conversation and it's just grown from there."

The former lock and hooker also works with Barnado's in teaching football players and high school students life skills in the ACT and New South Wales and works at Canberra's Early Morning Centre serving breakfast to homeless people.

"I don't think I did anything really that extraordinary, I've just used my story," Tongue added said.

"I've just tried to give back to the community that's given me so much."

Former AFL player Adam Goodes was the 2014 Australian of the Year his work with youth and Indigenous communities.