Ulverstone will have a very handy, and familiar, addition to its playing stocks in 2020 if a NWFL season is given the green light.
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The Robins have pulled off a recruiting coup with Rhys Mott, who made multiple team of the years, polled strongly in the Alastair Lynch Medal and played in the 2016 premiership for Glenorchy during what has been a prestigious TSL career, confirming he will be returning home for this season.
Being able to play with some close mates again is what has inspired Mott, who started his senior football journey at Ulverstone in 2008 before spending time with Devonport and then moving to Glenorchy in 2011, to make the move home, with the COVID-19 shutdown heightening that sense of connection to family and friends for the midfielder.
"The shortened season made it an easy decision in the end, and while it was hard to leave Glenorchy, I was keen for a change and the opportunity to play with some really good mates,'' he said.
"The COVID-19 situation has probably helped make this work as I have seen some family in that time that I haven't seen a huge amount of over the last 10 years being in Hobart and them being up on the North-West, so I am really looking forward to it."
A desire to pull on the Robins' jumper was one that has always been there for Mott, an idea that has been in play as far back as 2017 when Jamie Hayward was in charge when Ulverstone won the flag, a grand final in which Mott acted as the runner.
"I have always wanted to come back and I'm getting married early next year and we are probably going to look to start a family, so it would probably would have been harder down the track, but with my close relationship with [coach] Darren Banham it worked out well,'' he said
Mott said he was also hoping to use the comforts of home to help his passion for the game, with the enjoyment factor dwindling recently due to Achilles issues.
If this season had started on time for Glenorchy, he would likely have only been part of the second half of the season after taking a mental and physical rest from pre-season.
"I have lost a bit of love for the game over the last few years with some Achilles issues, but I've seemed to have got over that," he admitted.
He was also keen to help impart some of his "football wisdom".
"I'm not going to go in there and try to change everything, but if I see something I will absolutely put my hand up to help out, which I am really looking forward to,'' he said.
It is still too early to say whether Mott's return will be for more than one season, with both parties not dismissing the idea of a longer stay, with Banham saying if he did want to return to Glenorchy, Ulvestone would "wish him all the best".
Mott will continue to live in Hobart and train with Glenorchy if the competition does get started this year.
A final decision on whether a NWFL season will take place in 2020 will be made on Tuesday.