This time last year, dynamic VFL listed midfielder Jay Cheep was squeezed out of the Bendigo Bank Cats line up because of the return of Nick Batchelor from a serious hamstring injury.

Cheep had just played a pivotal role in Geelong’s stunning come-from-behind triumph over North Ballarat in a semi final at TEAC Oval, a victory that revived the Cats’ season from the brink of extinction.

But with the Geelong senior team out of AFL finals calculations and the number of AFL players retuning to the side rising by the week, his performance mattered very little.

In what is the brutal nature of VFL football at Geelong, one of the side’s rugged VFL listed stars had to make way for the returning AFL-listed players. It was either him, Adam Cook or Jason Davenport.

After 13 matches and a near faultless season, he was dropped.

Cheep arrived at TEAC Oval the following week as an emergency against Williamstown, but never played. The understandable disappointment was etched on his face.

And the following week, just minutes before the grand final, it was decidedly harder to bear.

The bitter disappointment of missing the Cats’ premiership tilt was a bitter pill to swallow, one that resonated all throughout a grueling preseason.

“It was very frustrating and disappointing because I did play okay in those games (first two finals), and to get dropped, it was just frustrating and I suppose that spurred me on a bit more this year, with the preseason and everything, trying to get fitter,” Cheep said.

“It’s been a big learning curve, so I’m really trying to not miss out this year.”

Last week against Coburg, the 23-year-old emerged from a season of sustained consistency to declare his intentions of making one of the elusive VFL-listed positions his own.

His outstanding display through the midfield, where he captured 25 disposals, 10 marks and snagged four goals, all but entrenched his position in the all-conquering Cats line up.

“I was very pleased, it was good to get the win most of all, but to have made a contribution to the team was really pleasing from my point of view,” he said.

“It was definitely good for it to all happen in a final, I’m just always trying to hold my spot, so it makes it hard for them to drop me hopefully, but it could happen still. But anyway it was very pleasing to get the win and the week off and just get ready to reload.”

Cheep said coach Leigh Tudor has assured him his place was secure in the side, at least for this week against North Ballarat anyway.

It is that reassurance that fills the lively wingman with boundless confidence running into the preliminary final.

“It is very pleasing, I guess you can focus on actually playing and thinking ‘am I going to play or am I not’, so Lurker (Leigh Tudor) told me I am playing this week – told me and Thomo (Scott Thompson) last week – so I just can’t wait to get out there to be honest,” Cheep said.

“Just all this time you just think about it, you just get nervous, I just want to get out there again, it feels so long since last week even.”

Cheep can see the premiership dream, almost taste it. And he will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that dream can come to fruition.

His excitement is clearly evident, which reflects the insatiable desire emanating out of the Cats’ VFL team at this crucial stage of the season.

“It is, it’s very exciting,” he said.

“It’s a good time of the year to be winning games and start contributing to the team, it’s such a great bunch of guys.”

Cheep is so focused on achieving the ultimate prize this season that he has not yet given serious consideration to his football ambitions beyond this year.

He said that nominating for the draft will be the likely scenario at the end of the season, but for now, that is far from the forefront of attention. There is a premiership to win – this season.

“I just want to see how far we can go this year, and hopefully win the flag this year all going well,” he said.

“That’s all I’m pretty much thinking about, but whatever comes my way I’ll be happy to take things on and see what happens.

“But after the season has finished I will probably think about it more, but at the moment, the sole focus is to win that flag.”