SFNL: Byron Wright has won three flags in three years at Black Rock, Mitcham and now Murrumbeena

Byron Wright’s 2022 grand final snap broke Murrumbeena hearts. But he mended them on Saturday by keeping his pre-season promise to help the Lions rise to the Southern league’s top flight.

Byron Wright (L) with premiership coach Michael Kinsella.

Byron Wright told his new teammates he’d repay them.

The zippy small forward signed at Murrumbeena a short 18 months after he led Black Rock to a premiership over the Lions with seconds left in the 2022 Southern league Division 3 decider.

That 60th goal capped a year which he grabbed the league medal, a premiership and best-afield in the grand final.

He then bounced to Mitcham, where he won an Eastern league premiership, and then to Murrumbeena.

Wright joked he had to “make enemies friends” and told his teammates he’d make up for his flag-winning snap.

He followed through with his promise on Saturday, booting two goals in Murrumbeena’s 28-point win over East Malvern.

“I said: ‘I’ll repay you’,” Wright recalled of his first training session at Beena.

“I knew a lot of the boys already, it’s such a good club.

“It’s close to home, I had a beer with Slick (coach Michael Kinsella) down at the local and I couldn’t say no, really, I love the people.

“I was at Mitcham last year and I just found out they went back to back too, so I was going to win one either way.”

Byron Wright’s late left-foot snap had a twist on Saturday. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Both of Wright’s grand final majors came at the McDonald St end of Mordialloc’s Ben Kavanagh Reserve – the end he kicked that winner.

But in a bit of irony, when Wright wheeled onto his left late in the game from an almost identical position, he skewed it wayward.

“I don’t know, there’s something about that end,” he laughed.

“Funny thing is I missed that one on my left foot in the last quarter but two years ago I dobbed it.”

There’s ‘Baz’ (Wright) and ‘Daz’ (Dareo Rogers) in the Lions’ forward 50.

Wright calls the pair the “Ginnivan-Watson” of Murrumbeena.

Rogers kicked three goals to compliment Wright’s two and won the best-on-ground medal.

Wright said he and Rogers celebrate each other’s wins and took their opportunities when they came, as rare as they were at the feet of Todd Elton and Steve Tolongs.

“We’re in each other’s corner all the time to motivate each other to get better, it’s just the way it is,” he said.

“Being a small forward is hard when you’re trying to crumb Stevie and Toddy, they don’t drop the footy, at times you want to spoil them to get a crumb.”

'Baz' and 'Daz': Murrumbeena's Ginnivan-Watson.

It’s three flags at three clubs in three years for Wright.

But he has vowed to be a Lion in 2024, hoping to snare four in four.

“Yes I am (staying), I am getting older but I am making more friends,” he said.

“We’ll go again here, I owe it to Slick, he’s an unreal coach and I think we’ll be here again next year, definitely.”