WARRNAMBOOL footballer Rob Bright had to go back to go forward.
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The one-time premiership ruckman wants to add a second Hampden league medallion to his collection today, this time as a key defender.
Bright, 29 on Tuesday, played in the Blues’ 2012 flag but missed last year’s triumph.
Warrnambool coach Scott Carter threw the former state league volleyballer a new challenge in the pre-season.
A back line spot had opened up for the 2014 campaign with 2013 full- back Will Jacobs on the move to Queensland and Carter thought Bright was the ideal replacement.
“He said there was an opportunity for a key defender and he thought if I could get my head around it and work hard I’d slot into the position,” Bright said.
“I hadn’t played much back there I suppose but once you settle in it’s the same six blokes there all the time that work with you.
“The hardest bit was going from the ruck where you’re following the ball around all the time, whereas in the back line you’re in the game for a while and there are times where you’re not.
“You have to be mentally tough to be a good defender.”
Bright, who dabbled in football as a child and returned to the sport at 24, was omitted from Warrnambool’s 2013 preliminary final side for Maskell Medal-winning midfielder Tim Hunt.
The following week he couldn’t squeeze into the Blues’ grand final side, which went on to defeat Koroit.
At the time Carter labelled Bright’s omission “the toughest decision I have had to make since I have been coach”.
But Bright has used the grand final heartache as a positive.
“You don’t really know how much you want to be in a team until you don’t have the opportunity,” he said.
“It means a lot more this year.”
Bright said Warrnambool would take confidence into its seventh straight grand final.
The Blues are aiming for a hat-trick of flags and back-to-back grand final wins against Koroit.
“Some of the boys have played in seven consecutive grand finals so there is a lot of experience at this time of year,” Bright said.
“We treat it as a normal game.
“But I am excited. It’s a big opportunity.”