Davidson sought out a new challenge last season and joined the Cobram Tigers in the Goulburn North East Football League, with the inaugural CSL deriving six teams from the competition.

While many players in Yoogali SC and Hanwood FC are still active from the teams that last played in Victoria more than four years ago, Davidson warned much has changed south of the border.

“I went down last year thinking it was going to be similar to the local competition, maybe a bit better, but when I got down there, in my opinion, it was a much higher standard,” Davidson said.

“Teams spend a lot of money on players, so obviously if you do that then you’re going to get better players.

“Every team has about six or seven or eight very good players instead of one or two.”

Davidson used the example of Shepparton United buying two lower-grade professional players before the mid-season trade deadline, which turned them into a contender.

However, the star striker urged the three other Griffith teams not to shy away from the task this season, saying the Goulburn North East teams were not unbeatable.

“It’s not like we’re going to play Barcelona or anything, but it might be a while before we get back to the standard when we were challenging for the (Goulburn North East)

title, but it’s better than than gradually getting worse and worse,” he said.

When Davidson left EW Moore Oval he was one of the best marksman in the Griffith competition in front of goal, constantly in the running for the golden boot award in the top grade.

But in a competition boasting quicker and stronger defenders, Davidson said he enjoyed the challenge of making the most of his chances with less quality

possessions.

But the grind of travel and a Tigers team that was close to, but never quite, seriously challenging for the title meant coming back to his former club in Griffith was the right choice.

“I needed a change because I felt I was getting a bit stale, I played Yoogali Football Club five times the season before I left, and you begin to start to lose motivation,” Davidson said.

“I enjoyed it but it was hard not training with the team (Cobram), I didn’t think it was going to be as hard as it was and by the end of the season I was glad it was over.

“I’m still glad I did it because If I didn’t go down there and play for them I don’t think I would have played at all.”