XAVIER Ellis says he could have walked away from AFL football if he had been forced to stay in Melbourne this season.
The Hawthorn premiership player moved to West Coast as a free agent at the end of last season after eight years and 86 games with the Hawks.
The 26-year-old will play his 100th AFL match on Saturday night against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
Ellis revealed to AFL.com.au this week that he may not have even got that far if he had been forced to spend another year in Melbourne.
"I was a country boy from outside Lakes Entrance, in Melbourne I went to boarding school and played eight years at Hawthorn, so I was really keen to get out of Melbourne," Ellis said.
"If it was (a choice to) play footy and stay in Melbourne or not play at all, I'd probably have had to have a think about it because I was desperately keen to get out of Melbourne and start fresh."
Ellis had a horrific run with injury in 2013, managing just two games after badly damaging his calf in the 2012 Grand Final.
An honest chat with Hawthorn football manager Chris Fagan during the 2013 season helped open Ellis' eyes to further opportunities outside Melbourne.
"He asked me what I wanted to do next year and he gave me some advice that was probably outside his role as a Hawthorn football manager, which I really appreciated," Ellis said.
The former No. 3 draft pick was thrilled to get that fresh start with West Coast, which he describes as an "extremely well-run organisation".
After playing just 16 games in his three previous seasons, Ellis 100th AFL match will be his 14th this year, and he credits the Eagles' medical staff for his durability.
"They were really positive about the calf and treated it as though I was an 18-year-old kid that hadn't had a calf problem," Ellis said.
"I had a little hiccup round four and missed two games, but I haven't again since."
Eagles coach Adam Simpson, who coached Ellis at Hawthorn during his time there as an assistant to Alastair Clarkson, said he had taken a major gamble on the classy left-footer, but he did so with good reason.
"We just took a punt to be honest," Simpson said.
"Nothing made me think he could hold up, other than he was ready for a challenge in a different environment. It was caution to the wind.
"He wasn't on two the three-year deals, and it was a bit of an experiment, I suppose.
"The fact that he's such a quality person, he was going to make our club better around the club as well."
Simpson said he was really proud of Ellis and his effort to get back to elite football.
"Really happy for Xavier," Simpson said.
"The mental battle for 'X' to get back on the track, broken down and get back, broken down and seeing a premiership, being a part of a club that plays in a premiership and knowing you are good enough, but your body's not.
"To go through all that and come over here and re-introduce yourself as a player and establish himself as a senior player, he has gone through a lot."
