Lavington premiership player Adam Butler was set to quit, in 2015

Butler capped one of the most remarkable grand final stories in last year's stunning upset of Wangaratta, playing a key role in his first match for 99 days.

The strongly-built defender had injured his troublesome hamstring on June 15.

"I didn't really think too much of it initially, I thought it would be a normal three-weeker (injury), but I never manged to get it right (until grand final week)," he said.

"I gave myself to the last round, play in the 2's (reserves) and maybe get considered and then they (match committee) said, 'look, don't push it for this week, have a week off and try again'.

"I tried again and hurt it again, I was shattered, I knew hamstrings were a three-week injury and there was three weeks left.

"I got stuck into it, massage and putting heaps of work into it. The pain wasn't making sense, it didn't feel like a hamstring, which hurts to do everything, it felt like scar tissue.

"I smashed the soft tissue work through it, just freed it up, but I wouldn't say I didn't have my doubts about it giving way again, but I got through training and it got through the match, thank God."

Butler became a two-time grand final winner after playing in the club's previous flag against Myrtleford in 2005.

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The Panthers had finally overcome a finals hoodoo, which peaked in grand final losses in 2015-16.

"I thought about retirement all the time, yeah, I was ready to give it away after that first grand final against Albury, but I couldn't finish like that with a loss," he said.

"The hamstrings weren't giving too much grief then and hamstrings tend to heal to a point where you can keep going and, as everyone says, you're a long time retired."