While missing last year’s finals series due to injury was devastating for premiership player Dan Butler, the small forward is channelling his disappointment into motivation as he prepares for the 2019 season. 

The 22-year-old speedster is relishing being back on the training track after missing the latter half of the season recovering from an ankle syndesmosis injury and resulting surgery.

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“I thought I’d be back in time (for finals), but it wasn’t to be," he said.

"Watching them throughout the finals, it was hard to watch because you want to be out there to try and help them out.

“I’ve been using that as motivation to concentrate on working hard and hopefully getting back in the side.”

With the inclusion of new Tigers Tom Lynch and Mav Weller, Butler is aware it will be “hot for spots” in 2019, but is driven to secure his place.

“(Competition) is healthy and it only makes you want to push harder for your spot,” he said. 

To do so, Butler is hard at work on improving his positional flexibility and his work up the ground.

“(The coaches) want me to nail my role down forward, I’ve been used as the defensive pressure forward and they want me to just nail that,” he said.

With just two days of Richmond’s Gold Coast pre-season camp remaining, Butler has enjoyed spending quality time with his fellow Tigers. 

“My favourite thing (about camp) is just spending a week together with the boys,” he said. 

“Obviously, we see each other a lot during the week but I think just getting to spend time with people you don’t often spend as much time with, just getting to know them on a personal level and just having a bit of fun and getting away from Melbourne.”

Butler was excited to give back to the Queensland Tiger Army that gathered at Bond University for Monday’s open training session, and was overwhelmed by the turnout. 

“It’s amazing, it happens all over Australian wherever we play, there’s always a lot of people supporting us,” he said.

“It’s just really special to connect with the wider community outside of Melbourne.”