By James Bresnehan, Mercury
DASHING defender Josh McGuinness is back where it all began in the hope a season at Lauderdale will help him work his way back to an AFL career.
McGuinness was taken at pick 81 by Brisbane Lions in the AFL Draft of 2014 but after two injury-riddled seasons, did not play a senior game.
The Lions cut McGuinness in September and the 21-year-old, who signed on with the Bombers yesterday, maintains a steely resolve to have another crack at the big time.
“I still have the passion to play at the highest level,” McGuinness said.
“At the moment what’s best for me is to come home and be around my family and the footy club, which is really supportive of me.
“I’ve come back to play the best I can and hopefully get noticed again next year.”
McGuinness will increase his chances of being seen by AFL recruiters if Lauderdale completes a player-swapping deal with VFL club Werribee, which is aligned to North Melbourne, next season.
Werribee’s top brass has toured Lauderdale and Bombers coach Darren Winter will go to Melbourne next Thursday to put the finishing touches on the agreement.
It will create the opportunity for Lauderdale’s best players to play games in the VFL and surplus Werribee players to taste TSL football instead of playing country or suburban football on weeks they are not required.
Werribee also hopes to play a VFL game for premiership points in Hobart next season.
McGuinness described his time in Brisbane as “two tough years”.
“I haven’t had injuries that have stopped me playing footy before I went to Brisbane,” he said.
“Mentally, that hurts when you can’t play and that’s what you get paid to do.
“That makes it hard, and the footy club wasn’t playing good footy in those two years, so it wasn’t the best environment to be around.”
Known for his Grant Birchall-like running off halfback, McGuinness was stopped in his tracks by stress fractures in his foot followed by a series of hamstring tears.
His troubles began about Round 13 last year when he got a stress fracture in his foot, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Once he got it right, he was into full-on preseason but the fracture returned just before Christmas. He was sidelined until March.
“I missed most of the preseason which is where you get all your improvement from. That put me behind the eight-ball,” he said.
After six promising games for the Lions in the NEAFL this season, McGuinness had a grade one hamstring tear in Round 7, followed by three more over the rest of the season, ending all hope of a senior debut.
“I feel like I didn’t really get a crack at AFL footy because of the injuries,” he said.