Bright Hoping Luck Turns after Spectacular Return

Seb Bright has had a horror injury run and rupturing his ACL last year was what he might have thought was the last straw, but playing a match-winning role in Swan Districts win on Saturday night instantly told him he made the right decision to stick with it.

Bright has always been a player of enormous promise with Swan Districts and that’s why he’s very quickly found himself back in the League team.

However, injury had limited him to just 36 games up until Round 8 last year when tragedy struck when having worked so hard to overcome a serious hamstring injury that saw him miss much of 2024 as well.

The ACL injury and subsequent knee reconstruction was something that had Bright doubting his football future, but he quickly fully threw himself into his rehabilitation to return as quickly as possible in 2025.

He made it back for one reserves game in Round 5 against East Fremantle and then was straight into the league side on Saturday night against Subiaco with coach Andrew Pruyn seeing him as an answer in the forward-line after the loss of Leigh Kohlmann and Evan Smith.

Not only did bright successfully return on Saturday night, but he played a huge role in the breakthrough 75-point win by kicking four goals to go with his 17 possessions, seven tackles and six marks.

He was just happy to be back out there, though, and contribute to Swans’ first win of 2025.

“For me personally it was a feeling of great relief to be back playing football in any capacity,” Bright said.

“With my injury last year I was unsure whether I wanted or was able to continue playing at this level and I’m just so happy to have had the opportunity again.

“I feel as though a weight lifted off the group, to record a win especially in such emphatic fashion was a huge step in the right direction for our season. It felt like we regained some of that fun we had around the club last year which led to such positive results.”

Swan Districts came into the season having just lost Tom Edwards to Essendon which was a significant blow to the forward-line.

Kohlmann had then done a strong job kicking 13 goals over the first five weeks, but when he went out with a hamstring injury along with Smith on Saturday night, it left coach Andrew Pruyn searching for a new look.

One of the answers was to use Bright as a forward target in his first league game since Round 8 last year and it worked a treat with him kicking the four goals.

“We’ve been really unlucky with injuries so far this year so it was a little unconventional forward of the ball but we all seemed to work together well,” Bright said.

“As I said before it was just a relief to be back playing league football and I certainly wasn’t expecting to have that kind of game, but it was nice to be reassured that I can still play some good football when called upon.”

Bright has mostly been used in a defensive role for most of his career to date where he has both been able to lockdown an opponent but also be creative going the other way with ball in hand.

However, he’s also shown at times he can play forward or even through the middle, and that versatility is something that he has always felt is one of his great strengths.

“I think I view my role as someone who is willing to do whatever’s asked of me in order to help the team succeed,” he said.

“Whether that’s playing a lockdown role or trying to be dangerous and bring pressure up forward I’m happy and willing to do anything asked of me. I would say that my versatility helps me play those roles and is probably my best attribute on the field.”

Going back almost 12 months when Bright found out he had ruptured his ACL and would need a knee reconstruction, he wasn’t sure if he could deal with another long stint on the sidelines.

He had already been through so much and while he was desperate to have a successful career, he did have to weigh up if it all was worth it.

However, once the shock of it wore off, he focused on doing all the work necessary to return and was delighted to make it back as quickly as he did and had plenty of people at Swan Districts to thank.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting to come back in so quickly, nor were the medical staff much to their dismay,” Bright said.

“An ACL injury is such a long process and there were certainly periods where I had doubts and struggled with the process but I’ve had so many incredible people around me helping every step of the way.

“The medical staff at the club Pete, Billy and Belinda especially made the process more manageable and enjoyable.”

The knee injury was just the latest in a string of unlucky and long-term injuries for Bright, and while he does admit to being jealous of someone like club games record holder Tony Notte who is so durable, he hopes his luck might turn this time.

“Certainly had an interrupted couple of years, with a lacerated Kidney, Hamstring and now ACL surgery,” Bright said.

“Hopefully now I can try and stay fit and healthy but I suppose only time will tell. With football being such demanding sport you never really know what could happen, I’m just trying to take it a week at a time from here.

“I can’t say that I’m not a little envious of a legend liked Tony but I doubt that many people can play as long and as well as he has.

“I know Brandon Erceg has helped me a lot through my injuries, it’s been reassuring to have someone who can empathise with you through those challenges. Some of us are just unluckier than others but that’s football in the end and I wouldn’t change it.”

While Bright successfully returned on Saturday night in the big win over Subiaco, the luck on the injury front for the team didn’t change with Zane Trew and Jarvis Pina suffering potentially long-term blows.

However, Bright is now looking forward to this weekend off for the State game and then getting ready to back up against Claremont at Steel Blue Oval next Saturday.

“I think the result on the week was the spark we needed to jumpstart our season after the bye,” Bright said.

“It was disappointing to lose guys like Jarvis and Zane on the weekend but we have so many talented guys that we hope can step up and help us get back to where we want to be. Personally I’m just hoping to stay healthy and contribute however I can to that goal.