A commitment to what might have been is taking Brocke Argus back to East Wagga-Kooringal next year, after a premiership-winning season at Wagga Tigers.
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Argus loved his short stint with Tigers in the AFL Riverina Championship. He's also attracted plenty of interest from other clubs.
However, he has locked in his return home to the Hawks who sat out the season when the Farrer League was cancelled.
"I was excited about what we were working towards this year (at EWK), it was looking like a big year until COVID threw a spanner in the works," Argus said.
"We really felt like we were in a good position and things were going well. With what we had happen after all our work for this year, I felt like I hadn't finished something.
"And the majority who were going to be there this year are signed on for next year, we've only lost one."
Former Tigers captain Nick Ryan has told EWK he won't be there, despite not getting to play a game for the club he signed on with a year go.
But they've confirmed their other 2020 signings, including former EWK premiership players Nathan Scott and Tim Smith, former Northern Jets star Alex Rogers and ex-Wodonga Bulldog Dan McCarthy are all committed for 2021.
They've just added McCarthy's brother Kieren to their recruits.
The midfielder-forward has played at Holbrook (Hume League), Border-Walwa (Upper Murray League), and Ovens and Murray reserve grade with Wodonga Bulldogs, where he suffered a knee injury in 2019.
"He's a similar player to Dan so we're pretty happy to get him over the line," EWK coach Matt Hard said.
"He comes with high credentials so we're excited to have him on board. I think he'll be another good asset for us."
Dan McCarthy will miss the start of the year as he recovers from he knee reconstruction but Kieren will be ready to roll.
The Hawks have also brought midfielder Luke Cuthbert home from Turvey Park and signed former Coolamon key forward Ben Cadzow.
Hard also believes Argus will be better than ever next year.
"Brocke's really grown as a player and I think he's got potential to grow further," Hard said.
"We're obviously excited that he's back at the Hawks. I think getting away for this year was good for him. He got to play something different, he got to have some excited, and he got to play footy at a reasonable standard.
"I'm happy he's done that and that he got the results, and I'm very happy that he decided to come back."
Hard isn't the only one. Argus said family have let him know they prefer to see him play in yellow and brown than yellow and black.
However, his time with Tigers did whet the appetite for a Riverina League season at some stage down the track.
Argus played three games in reserves before being promoted to seniors in a crack premiership-winning side, and thanked the club for making him welcome, particularly Anthony Lyons, Troy Maiden, Brenton Crawford and Ray Colvin.
"It's not that I didn't want to (stay) and I still want to give RFL a crack. It was good getting a look at that side of footy - a different, faster, more open style of football probably suits me a bit better," Argus said.
Not to mention given him a lifelong memory.
"It's something I'll cherish forever, it was something special," Argus said.
"Winning a premiership - in 10 years I'll be looking forward to getting together and reliving it and catching up.
"But the experience itself was enough. Playing with mates around my age, like Lahn Shepherd and a few others, was great. These were guys I never thought I'd get to play footy with.
"And getting to play with footballers like Brayden O'Hara, Shaun Campbell, James Grills, Jake Gaynor... not just the way they play but how they prepare and the effort they put in to play. It was good."