INITIALLY shocked at seeing his name in off-season trade rumours, Daniel Merrett has admitted he contemplated leaving the Brisbane Lions after 12 seasons.
The likeable swingman, who turns 30 next month, was linked to both Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs during the trade period despite having two years to run on his contract.
Although the Lions are adamant they did not start the rumours, the scuttlebutt gave Merrett food for thought.
"Yeah, I definitely did (consider leaving)," Merrett said.
"I wasn't saying I wanted to leave … but if that's where my career took me, I was open to it - but I'm super stoked to stay."
Merrett said he was in a bad headspace following the 2014 season, one in which he was switched between key forward and key defender, often playing poorly.
His end-of-season review with coach Justin Leppitsch was not kind either, and the Queensland local was not shying away from his poor form.
"I had a shocking year," Merrett said. "That was probably my worst year ever.
"I thought I'd be here my whole career and then to see my name in the paper as being up for trade was a shock to the system.
"When I was on my break it got me thinking "do I need a freshen up and a change of scenery?"
While a trade never eventuated, Merrett now believes the process could rejuvenate his career.
He says he is now clear about wanting to fight for his backline position rather than being switched between ends, and will do whatever he can to win the spot.
"It got me thinking that I probably need to work a bit harder as well," he said.
"Even though I carried in an injury with a broken leg from the year before - so I was a little off from a body point of view - I still needed to work a lot harder on my fitness and my skills.
"I probably sat back and thought even though my body wasn't as good as last year, my experience hopefully might get me through, where it just doesn't work that way.
"As you get older, you have to work a bit harder.
"I didn't finish the year in a great headspace, but I think through that whole trade period, it's probably given me the little kick up the butt I needed and I'm coming into this season in a really good headspace knowing that I'm going to have to work hard for my spot, and that excites me.
"It's given me a bit of a spark.
"I want to play in the backline and I want to solidify my spot down there. Let's do it, let's get into it."
