After a year away to test the waters, Tumut five-eighth Jacob Toppin is certainly glad he wasn't far from home for too long.
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Toppin had a season at Yass but soon returned to the Blues this season and now finds himself in his first senior grand final.
He can't wait to tackle Southcity in the decider at Equex Centre on Sunday.
"We've had a few tough years in Tumut including a year we didn't win a game at all, but it's good to be here," Toppin said.
"It's exciting for it all to turn around and make in a grand final."
The 25-year-old enjoyed the challenge but is pleased to be back.
"I worked away last year and always wanted to play in a different comp but coming back with the local talent we have is very exciting," Toppin said.
He's not the only former Magpie in the side with Tom and Ben Warner joining him with the Blues from the Canberra Raiders Cup side.
Toppin has switched between hooker and five-eighth depending on Lachlan Bristow's fitness this season.
The natural dummy half found it to hard to adjust to the different role to begin the season, however feels much more at home in the number six jumper now.
"It's a difficult thing to go from one to the other but it has been enjoyable," Toppin said.
"The first time I was shifted to six I'd played in nine all of last year and in that role so it took a bit of getting used to but I feel a lot more comfortable this time around."
He believes he's more confident in the role.
It showed in the preliminary final, putting in two pin point kicks for Ben Roddy as part of the centre's four-try haul.
Now he's looking to back it up.
"It's all coming along really well," Toppin said.
"I'm very happy about it."
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