While Duscher was touted by many as a strong chance of being rookie listed by an AFL club, the Bendigo Football Club midfielder says he never got his hopes high that he would be picked up.

“I definitely didn’t have my hopes set on anything happening at all,” Duscher said yesterday.

“To be looked at was a bonus, but I’m still keen to play VFL football.

“All the best to the boys who did get a chance... I’ll keep soldiering on.”

Duscher co-captained the Bendigo Bombers last year and won the club’s best and fairest and is returning for another season with Bendigo’s VFL club, the newly named Bendigo Football Club.

While looking forward to another year with Bendigo, it hasn’t been all smooth-sailing in the pre-season so far, with the 24-year-old recently suffering a spider bite on his foot that has restricted his running.

“My foot has swollen up, so I haven’t ran for a couple of weeks, but I’m getting back into the swing of things now,” Duscher said.

“We’ve got our first practice match on March 3 down at Geelong, so anything I’ve missed out on will certainly be made up for in the practice matches.”

Duscher won the Bombers’ best and fairest last year, despite being struck down mid-season with a groin injury and missing five games.

“The groin isn’t too bad after it slowed me up a bit last year,” said Dusher, who has indicated he will align this year with Millewa Football League club Werrimull, where his two brothers play

“It’s still a little bit sore, but nothing I can’t push through.”

As well as the change in name to the Bendigo Football Club this year, there’s also a new coach at the helm, with Hayden Skipworth taking over from Shannon Grant, who is now an assistant coach at the Western Bulldogs.

“Skippy has been fantastic and knows what it’s all about... he has been there and done it all before,” Duscher said.

“He’s still only a young fella, so he has that mix of being a coach, as well as being a mate, with the way he goes about things.

“I think he’s going to be very well suited for his role.”

The BFC – which is still to announce its new nickname – will open its VFL season on April 1 with a trip to Frankston following a bye in round one.

BFC 2012