SOUTH Warrnambool export Sam Dwyer considered returning to the Hampden league before committing to the VFL.
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The delisted Collingwood midfielder will rejoin Port Melbourne – the club which launched his AFL career – in 2016 after considering offers to play in the south-west.
Dwyer, 29, spent eight seasons at the Borough before joining the Magpies as a mature-age rookie three years ago.
“I still had to think about if I wanted to play at the VFL level and have the commitment levels,” he said.
“I tossed up the potential of going to a suburban club and tossed up a little bit about playing back Warrnambool way.
“I talked to South early in the piece and Warrnambool and Port Fairy as well.
“But playing there is a bit too far to travel and I am not ready to move home yet.
“In the end I have an affiliation with Port Melbourne. It’s where I cut my teeth.”
Dwyer is recovering from a hip operation and will launch into pre-season after Christmas.
He said the surgery – the second time he’s had work done on his hip – was to clean up cartilage and reshape bone.
“It was nothing which restricted me from playing,” Dwyer said of the 2015 season in which he managed just five AFL appearances.
“I just got sore as games went on and I pulled up a little bit sore.”
Dwyer is already in the rehabilitation phase – just two weeks after his operation.
“I can do stationary boxing and swimming without kicking at the minute,” he said.
“It’s not too bad but I can’t go too hard too early.”
Dwyer had harboured ambitions of extending his AFL career.
“I hadn’t spoken to any clubs directly. My manager said there was a little bit of interest around but it was pretty minimal,” he said.
“You hold a glimmer of hope but I didn’t really think there was any chance of being picked up.”
The 180-centimetre midfielder, who will be in Warrnambool for Christmas, will now turn his attention to helping Port Melbourne “be the best standalone club again”.
The Borough is coming off a disappointing season, having finished 10th with a 7-11 win-loss record.
Dwyer, who played in a flag with the club in 2011, said he wanted to help coach Gary Ayres propel the Borough back into finals contention.
“Obviously you don’t like seeing a club you’re fond of miss finals and it was the first time they’d missed under Ayresy,” he said.
“It will be really good to catch up with all of them. It’ll definitely be fun.”
