CHRIS Bryan played for Carlton and Collingwood and had three punting contracts in the National Football League.
But one of his strongest memories in sport, he says, was helping Keysborough defeat Cranbourne in 1999. He was 16 and the thrill has never left him.
"It was at Keysy. We had a good win," he said last Friday.
"1999 it was, all those years ago. We beat the arch enemy. I still remember that game very well."
Bryan, 30, is back in Melbourne after three years in the US and is open to the prospect of returning to his junior club, which has a long association with the Bryan family.
"I'm prepared to help out the Keysy footy club where I can," he said last Friday.
"That's where I was brought up. That's where footy started for me. When I was a kid all I wanted to do was play senior footy for Keysy.
"I'm not 100 percent committed to playing, only because I've only been back for two weeks and I don't know what life entails for me, but I'll help out any way I can. I want to see them successful. Great club, Keysy. I definitely want to play there again some time, whether it's next year or whatever. I want to support the red, white and blue again."
Bryan went from Keysborough to the Sandringham Dragons, then to Sandringham and Frankston in the VFL.
His ruck work and booming left foot prompted Carlton to draft him in 2004.
There were 16 games with the Blues and 46 at Collingwood.
Bryan then went to the US to try his leg at punting, having stints with the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets. He said it was unforgettable experience."I played (with the Buccaneers). I made it to the top," he said.
"I'm pretty proud of what I did. I know I can still do it but it's such a volatile business. You're in, you're out. You need to be in the right place at the right time.
"It didn't turn out to be as successful as I wanted, but I gave it all I had for three years. All in all I enjoyed it, the challenge, living in another country, being involved in a sport I had no idea about. It's incredible over there. It makes our game look really small. They've got two or three 24-7 channels. The season is 17 weeks plus play-offs but it dominates the news. It's the biggest sport in the US by far. " He said he didn't miss the AFL scene, admitting he "became a bit numb to it all" in his final year with Collingwood. "Now that I'm back I'm sure I'll find the love of footy again. That's what you do in Melbourne."
Bryan is at the "what-next" stage that confronts many sportspeople. "What the future holds, I don't. That's the next challenge for me, to find out what's to come." He's sure Keysy will be part of it.