Jarrod Hodgkin says no longer being able to play a part in Mitta United's rebuild is the one thing that 'hurts most' about being forced into premature retirement.
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Hodgkin dropped a bombshell over the weekend when he informed teammates that he would be hanging up the boots immediately after two recent bouts of concussion.
At 32, the 2019 Morris medallist still had a lot to offer as one of the premier midfielders in the TDFL.
Hodgkin who is a Mitta United junior said his main motivation to join the Blues last year was to help the club return to playing finals and ultimately be part of their next flag.
"I left the O&M probably a bit sooner than I should have so I could play alongside my two brothers in Luke and Brendan and help Mitta get back to being a finals force," Hodgkin said.
"I thought I was still playing reasonably well in the O&M but I left because I wanted to be a part of some success at Mitta with my two brothers.
"So leaving the O&M prematurely and now retiring prematurely and not being able to finish my career at Mitta is bitterly disappointing.
"I thought last year the time was right to chase some success at Mitta where my family is from, it's my home club and Luke was coaching.
"When I went back the previous year they finished third last on the ladder and last year we missed finals by percentage.
"Realistically this season we are probably looking at a similar finish and around that fifth, sixth or seventh mark.
"But my goal was to go back to Mitta and hopefully help attract a few more recruits and win a flag in the next few seasons.
"That's what hurts the most, not being able to fulfill that goal... but there are no guarantees in footy."
Once a powerhouse of the competition feared by rival clubs, the Blues' most recent finals appearance was 2018 and most recent flag more than a decade ago in 2012.
Hodgkin said times had changed since Mitta United's most recent golden era in the mid 2000s where the Blues won an unprecedented four-peat from 2004-07.
"It's a lot different now," he said.
"Back when my old man was playing in the 1980s and the club was dominating, a lot of the talent was local and living in the valley.
"These days, the further you are outside Albury-Wodonga, the harder it is to attract recruits.
"There are a lot of clubs in the TDFL in close proximity to Albury-Wodonga with the exception being Mitta and Dederang.
"Kiewa, Yackandandah and Chiltern are not far to drive to for training.
"To Mitta's credit they have done a power of work to get their junior numbers back to somewhere they need to be which is fantastic.
"But the biggest challenge is getting back up to the top and challenging for flags because then all of a sudden you become a destination club.
"Back in the day, players would join Mitta to win a flag because they were the most successful side in the competition.
"So it's about trying to get back there and once you get there, bring in enough recruits each year to stay successful.
"I feel Mitta is half-way there... the hardest part now is taking that next big leap and being able to match those better clubs in Chiltern, Kiewa and Yackandandah."
