When you have endured the frustrating run of injuries that Werribee defender Nick Coughlan has experienced in recent seasons, you begin to appreciate the finer details around football.
The final training session before a big game, the pre-game warm up, the chance to play alongside your mates and, if you are lucky, singing the song after a big win.
These are feelings that some players might take for granted, but not Coughlan, who has been sidelined far too often for his liking in recent years.
Last season, his second on St Kilda’s rookie list, the season in which the Saints made a call on his future, Coughlan could not get a clean run with injuries limiting him to seven games.
Even the two years prior – time spent at Footscray and St Kilda – were littered with on and off injuries.
It all came to a head at the end of last season when he booked in for hamstring surgery, which impacted his first year with Werribee.
With Werribee out of finals calculations in the VFL this season, outsiders might think there is not much to play for.
However, the next three games could be a foundation to a big 2019 season for Coughlan and he is viewing it that way.
“I’ve only missed three games this year, which is good compared to last year,” he said. “While footy is about winning premierships, the best part about it is going out there and having fun with your mates, so it’s good to be able to go out there and enjoy playing again.
“With three more games left, I just want to build a bit of confidence in myself, just knowing that going into next pre-season that I’ll be 100 per cent ready to go.
“Last year, I was coming off hamstring surgery and I was already behind the eight ball with that.
“I actually can’t believe we’re talking about pre-season already, but it’s one of those things we’ve got to be looking at sadly.”
Werribee has been good for Coughlan and Coughlan has been good for Werribee.
It has been a perfect match so far.
“I’ve loved every minute of it down there,” Coughlan said.
“The club has been really welcoming and helped us out so much, so I can’t ask for much more than that.
“I’m super happy with how it’s worked out.”
While only young in football terms at the age of 21, Coughlan has experienced more than most of his teammates.
He left his Albury home and settled in Melbourne as a teenager, initially playing VFL with Footscray.
Drafted in 2015, Coughlan got to experience what life is like as a full-time footballer on St Kilda’s rookie list over the next two years.
Now studying accounting at Victoria University in Footscray and having moved into Maribyrnong, he can help some of the youngsters who have moved from the country to the city to play their football at Werribee.
Coughlan is willing to share his experiences and football knowledge with teammates, particularly those young rookies in the back half of the ground.
“I feel like I’ve brought a bit of experience,” he said.
“I’m fairly confident talking in front of the group and understanding the game.
“I’m able to convey that across to the other boys well.”
Coughlan said he was pleased with how he has settled into Werribee’s defensive unit.
The back six, led by Sam Collins, widely tipped to make a return to the AFL next season, has rarely had its colours lowered.
“We’ve built a really good cohesion between the group this year,” he said.
“Obviously we’re all pretty young and not many of us have played together before, but slowly each game we’re building.”
