Luff's hard work rewards Bulldogs' faith after slow start to 2016

THE back-line has been a great strength of South Fremantle's right throughout 2016 and in recent weeks the return of Chris Luff has added to it further as the Bulldogs gear up for a return to the WAFL finals for the first time since 2011.

The decision to push career forward Josh Pullman down back for the Bulldogs in 2016 has proved a masterstroke and he has formed a strong defensive combination with Blayne Wilson, Marlion Pickett, Adam Guglielmana, Matthew Gundry, Jason Maskos and then before he went down injured, Adam McIntosh.

Perhaps the one area the Bulldogs were a little short in down back was another tall defender, though, to help out Pullman and to help free up Pickett and Wilson to not have to play on some of the real key position forwards of the opposition.

That's where Luff has now fit in playing the last five games in the South Fremantle league side following a self-imposed slow start to the year due to a backpacking expedition through Asia and South Africa.

The 25-year-old didn’t return to the field until Round 6 for the Bulldogs and after having to earn his stripes in the reserves, he broke back into the South Fremantle league side in Round 16 against Claremont and has remained there since.

His importance to the back-line can't be understated not only to play on some of the best and most dangerous key forwards in the league, but for the added benefit it provides for Pickett and Wilson to be freed up to use their creativity to great effect.

Luff has now played 56 league matches in his career split between Peel Thunder and South Fremantle, but is yet to taste finals action and that looks set to change in two weeks' time with the Bulldogs locked into second position.

But Luff and nobody at South Fremantle is looking any further ahead than a desperate East Perth this Saturday at Medibank Stadium with the Royals needing to win or it could spell curtains on their finals chances for 2016.

"It gives us a great taste of what's to come in the next month or so. Their season is on the line and we need to have a killer instinct where we can put them away, and put their season to bed and set ourselves up for a big couple of weeks ahead," Luff said on The Kennel this week on 91.3 SportFM.

"We're not really talking about the finals appearance yet even though obviously we're aware that we are going to be playing finals footy. But we know that with the last two games remaining that we still have improvement to go so we are building towards that.

"We know there are still things to improve on and what we need to tweak so we can't afford to do anything but take it week by week, and get ready to face East Perth this week and work on the areas we need to improve on."

Luff's football journey has been an interesting one with him being a young defender of great promise when playing colts at Peel and playing in the WA State 18s side.

He made his league debut in Round 23, 2008 at the Thunder and then added just three more games in 2009 but by 2010 he had an outstanding season as one of the best young key position talents in the league and not without a chance of being drafted.

That didn’t eventuate and he didn’t play a league game in 2011 but did get back for a solid 2012 season at Peel with another 14 league appearances. But just eight more leagues games in 2013 and none in 2014 saw Luff wondering where his football career was at.

He had some injuries and wasn’t sure WAFL football was still for him and he was still trying to set up his life off the field and didn’t know that staying living in Mandurah was the best solution either.

So at the end of 2014 Luff was looking for a new start in life and football after 43 games at Peel that left him one of great untapped talents the Thunder had produced.

When South Fremantle showed an interest and his good friend and old teammate Blayne Wilson was already on board at the Bulldogs, and he liked what he was told by coach Todd Curley, Luff was quick to sign up at the Bulldogs for 2015 and hasn’t regretted it for a second since.

He managed eight league appearances in 2015 and ended up playing in the reserves premiership, and now after a slow start to 2016 he is now an important part of the side and is happy to be in the red-and-white.

"The reason to leave Peel was that I felt getting out of Mandurah first of all for my own sake to explore other opportunities was best for me, including employment and to get a fresh start with my footy," he said.

"I had a few injuries along the way so I was looking for something to kick start my career again. I was at the crossroads of what I wanted to do but I spoke to Todd before his first year and I got hold of my good friend Blayne Wilson who had just gone to the club as well and everything he told me sounded really positive.

"Todd had a really good plan and said there would be an opportunity for me if I put my foot down and trained hard, and that's really what got me across the line in the end. It's probably the best decision I've ever made. I absolutely love it at South Freo."

As for Luff's slow start to 2016, it was a trip overseas that had been planned before he even got to South Fremantle and it wasn’t something he could, or wanted to, cancel.

It might have made his football life in 2016 difficult and meant there was a chance he didn’t get to play league football at all, but Luff's hard work upon his return and solid form in the reserves meant he earned his spot.

"It was a year and-a-half in the planning and unfortunately there's never a great time with football. I trained up to Christmas and was feeling quite fit and then I shot off backpacking through South East Asia, and South Africa as well," he said.

"After three months I returned in not too bad shape and I did a little bit of training overseas, but a couple of beers set me back a bit. I just put my foot down and tried to train as hard as I could when I got back to do my part for the team. Luckily enough I've been able to get another opportunity."

Luff feels like his form continues to improve with every week he's back in the league side as well and he is particularly enjoying being part of the back-line unit at the Bulldogs this year.

"Week by week I think I'm getting a bit more comfortable fitting into the side again after having so long out. It's just about getting confidence in myself again and as long as I can play my part for the side, that's all I can do and all I need to be happy with," Luff said.

"Our back-line is great and it's a team within a team. We can go out there and trust one another, and that makes your job a hell of a lot easier.

"Guys have been coming in and out unfortunately with a few guys getting injured like Googs and Adam McIntosh, but other guys can come in and fill their roles, and we are confident in anyone to come up and do that. I trust every bloke that I run out alongside.