Sam Murray says returning to play for home club Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong has been a "silver lining" to his VFL season being abandoned with Williamstown.
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The star midfielder will make his senior debut for the Riverina league club alongside younger brothers, Nick and Toby, at Ganmain on August 1 after he comes out of coronavirus isolation next week.
It will be his first match in almost two years after being suspended for a positive match day drug test while playing for Collingwood.
The 22-year-old said he couldn't have wished for a better return to football.
"To play my first game back with Nick and Toby for my local town is an important thing to me," Murray said.
"I'm blessed and really do see the luck in it all as a lot of players aren't able to play at the moment.
"I guess it shows there is a silver lining to most things.
"It's been a long time since I've played and I just plan on enjoying it.
"I never get nervous about playing footy but I'm not sure how I will feel running out for the first time in a fair while."
Murray last played football for Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong as a 13-year-old in the under-17s before his family moved to Henty.
I'm blessed and do see the luck in it all. I guess it shows there is a silver lining to most things
- Sam Murray
His grand-father, Pat Quinn, is a life member and club legend who still mows the Ganmain oval at 90 while his father, Peter, coached the club in 1987-88.
Sam and Nick were set to play together at Williamstown before a spike in coronavirus numbers forced officials to abandon a shortened VFL season.
Murray admitted the past two weeks had been a whirlwind as he planned his return to Henty from Melbourne.
He is able to run his digital marketing business from the region.
"I didn't know how I would go getting things sorted out to come back but it's all worked out really well," Murray said.
"I won't play on Saturday because I want to do the right thing and respect the community.
"I think it's important to do that instead of rushing back and not going about things the right way."
Nick and Toby are set to play for Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong against Turvey Park in Wagga on Saturday.
Both played well in a recent practice match win against Osborne.
The Lions are shaping as a formidable force following the return of local players including the Murrays, young gun Riley Corbett and Dan Foley.
Henty's Sam Terlich has also joined the club.
