After leaving the Border for Melbourne as a teenager, Heagney-Steart played in a TAC Cup premiership with Sandringham Dragons in 2011 before following coach Dale Tapping to Collingwood’s VFL team.

A stint at South Adelaide in the SANFL followed before the 23-year-old succumbed to Wodonga coach Dean Harding’s persistent calls.

Both he, and the Bulldogs, couldn’t be happier.

“It’s been a really good standard of footy,” Heagney-Steart said.

“I already knew what to expect, I’ve followed the Ovens and Murray pretty closely since I left TAC Cup and I’ve always been talking to Wodonga.

“It’s always been a good option, I just wanted to play a little bit higher level of footy but it’s been an easy transition coming home.”

Heagney-Steart loved his time in the Magpies’ set-up, even if the black and white jumper did give the Carlton supporter the occasional rash.

He came up against some of the AFL’s biggest names in the VFL, including a lesson from a young Jesse Hogan before he burst onto the scene with Melbourne.

While Heagney-Steart won’t face anyone quite of Hogan’s calibre when the Bulldogs tackle Yarrawonga at J.C. Lowe Oval on Saturday, he will have his hands full with the returning Brad O’Connor.

The Pigeons won a one-point thriller at John Flower Oval when the sides met in round four and Heagney-Steart is desperate to turn the tables and help keep the Bulldogs’ finals hopes alive.

Despite losing five matches by 20 points or less, the Bulldogs sit just four points outside the top five.

“That was a tough day for us (in round four), we fought our guts out and to come away with the loss was hard to swallow,” he said.

“This weekend is a really good test to see where we’re at, Yarra are a quality outfit.”