Fremantle midfielder David Mundy faced a tough decision at the end of 2010 – stay at the hit-and-miss Dockers or return to his home state of Victoria?
The easy decision would have been to return home, where there was a strong family pull and the lure of more money.
But for Mundy, the right call was to stay at Fremantle and help the club achieve some long overdue success.
The talented midfielder subsequently penned a four-year deal, but he would have been doubting that decision 12 months later as Fremantle crashed out of finals contention.
Mundy’s own year was blighted by an ankle injury that also affected his 2012 campaign.
But the 28-year-old has returned to full flight this season, with his stunning form coinciding with Fremantle’s surge into a maiden grand final.
Mundy is stoked he chose to stay at the Dockers.
But he will be even happier if Fremantle get over Hawthorn in Saturday’s grand final at the MCG.
“It’s obviously what we play football for. It’s the ultimate,” Mundy said.
“A lot of hard work, sweat and tears have gone into getting to this position, so we’ve got to make the most of it and go out and give our best.
“I’m obviously stoked that I stayed at the Dockers and helped build a strong culture at the football club.
“There was decision to be made and there was a strong (family) pull. But at the end of the day I saw myself as a Fremantle player and I wanted to continue in that vein.”
Mundy tallied 29 possessions in Saturday night’s preliminary final win over Sydney, while fellow midfielders Nat Fyfe, Michael Barlow, Danyle Pearce, Ryan Crowley and Stephen Hill also played key roles.
Hawthorn also boast a star-studded midfield, but Fremantle are banking on their unrelenting pressure to give them a competitive edge.
Mundy has been part of Fremantle’s leadership group for several years now, and said the role had helped him grow as a person.
“I think it was something that I needed to do to progress my football and my character,” Mundy said.
“When I first came to the club I was a shy country lad and didn’t really want to talk to anyone.
“I really enjoy being in the inner sanctum of the group and helping lead the young guys.”