With 16 games to his name, he was still clearly in Brad Scott’s plans, but the number 19 admits he only really got going in the final few rounds.
Wright had reason to perform below his best; coming off a foot injury that hampered his pre-season campaign, he was also affected by pain in his shoulder.
After a reconstruction following the home and away season, he’s not far away from getting back into full training.
“The last part of last year I was struggling a fair bit with it (the shoulder). I copped a couple of knocks,” Wright told NMFC.com.au.
“I knew deep down that I’d have to get it reconstructed, but I’m glad I’ve got it done now.
“It’s given me a chance to get fit. I’m really raring to go and start setting up the year. I feel like I’m running the best I’ve run in a few years.
“I’m to the point with my shoulder that I’ve only got to wait another week until I’m into contact.”
Being restricted to the conditioning side of training has renewed Wright’s enthusiasm to get back. He is in every sense of the word, excited.
“I just feel like I’m ready to go now. The only thing holding me back is my shoulder, but even that’s feeling twice as good as the last time I got it done.
“It’s really good signs at the minute and hopefully, touch wood, it get backs to 100 per cent which I’m sure it will if I put the hard work into it.”
Wright says the disappointments of last season are driving him to recapture his best form.
“It was just a confidence thing I think. Just through lack of training and my body,” he added.
“I was a carrying the foot all the way through the early part, so I didn’t start pre-season until after Christmas. I just wasn’t fit enough. I wasn’t fit enough to play the way I like to play, running off and using the footy. In the end through one thing or the other I just lost confidence in the little things.
“It was really frustrating. Once you lose a pre-season, you can’t catch it up during the year, no matter how hard you try.”
After a slow start, Wright admits his usual composure in front of the big sticks also went missing and with that his spot in North’s 22 was in jeopardy.
“Those few games against Adelaide, even Fremantle, West Coast where I missed late goals that I’d normally nail… once you lose confidence it’s hard to get back.
“The week I actually got called back into the senior side against Geelong as an emergency, I was struggling that much for confidence… Werribee had the bye and I’d had a chat to Scotty (Brad Scott) and told him I pretty much just needed to get kicks and I was trying to get a clearance for North Ballarat’s reserves for the week just to get a kick. Luckily that night I got called up.
“I felt like when I came back into the side against Geelong it was the best my body’s felt in a couple of years and I felt like I was getting back to the way I like to play.”
So keen to keep his momentum going, Wright, with defender Scott McMahon travelled to Utah a week early to get a head-start on their team-mates.
“To get another week in was fantastic. The benefits you get from being at altitude increase dramatically the longer you are here. Scotty and I thought coming a bit earlier we could get massive gains and really set up our year.
“The two weeks after you get back (from Utah) are really important, when you can train harder for longer. That’s where we are really getting our fitness gains.”
Wright is confident the extra work will help him re-establish himself in North’s starting lineup.
“In 2012, my best year, my biggest asset was my fitness and playing at half-back. I wasn’t able to play that position this year. I just didn’t feel like I was fit enough,” he added.
“I’m not writing off playing forward again, but I think at the moment my best position is half-back. I think if I can shut down my opponent and then run off from there and create using the footy, I think I can get back to playing some good footy.
“We’ve got a pretty healthy list at the moment so it’s going to be competitive for spots, but I’m excited for the challenge.”
