Gallaway spent last week with the Bloods and will return for pre-season training early next month.

“I just want to play better footy,” he said.

The 21-year-old was the league’s smallest key defender, giving away more than 20 kilograms to Lavington’s Adam Prior.

Wangaratta star Michael Newton also towered over him, but he was able to keep the Doug Strang medallist to three and two goals respectively in their two clashes.

“It was more playing in front, try not to get body-on-body because you know you’d get pushed around if you start wrestling,” he said.

“I played in front and read the footy as well as you can, try to get my hands to every contest really.”

Gallaway, who stands at 186-centimetres and weighs 80-kilograms, was one of the league’s most improved players last season.

“My skills went up, the leadership side, my footy smarts, it was a gradual step everywhere pretty much I think,” he said.

Gallaway will jump into the powerful SANFL competition, one of the three strongest leagues in the nation, with a series of goals.

“I want to play senior footy, win, be successful, I’ve never had a chance to be successful here,” he said.

“I want to have a good crack at it, just get better really and see how far it all does go.”

Gallaway’s departure leaves North Albury even lighter for top-end talent with former co-coach Schmidt, Dan Leslie, Lachie Taylor-Nugent, Shaun Mannagh and Jesse Johnston departing Bunton Park over the off-season.