“I certainly didn’t have the season I would have liked this year with a fair bit of injury meaning I didn’t get many games,” he said.

“To get another 12 months was certainly exciting.”

After featuring in all of the Crows senior games during the 2016 AFL season Cheney could not crack the senior side during the 2017 season.

Cheney, 28, said there was a point during the season where he started to consider his options.

“I think that’s something that anyone who was out of contract would probably think about,” he said.

“There aren’t too many players unless you are a superstar that is guaranteed a year after.

“A player like me is normally up against it, especially with the injuries that I had.”

Returning to play alongside his brother at the Warrack Eagles even crossed his mind. 

“That was certainly an idea I flirted with a little bit,” he said.

“That probably ran through my mind until I finally got that extra 12 months towards the end of the trade period when the deal got done.”

Adelaide’s success during the season saw it win all the way through to the grand final before ultimately falling short against Richmond.

Cheney said he thought that success helped him maintain his place on the list.

“When you play off in a grand final there is probably no need to do too many list changes,” he said.

 “Although we didn’t have the day we would have liked on that day as the season unfolded we did a lot of things right and I think you then want to keep the continuity of that group.” 

His 77 games of AFL experience at Melbourne, Hawthorn and Adelaide also played a part.

“We’ve still got a lot of young guys coming up down back so I think that played a part,” he said.

“I’d also like to think that the footy I’d played a couple of season ago in the senior team also had some influence as well.”

Cheney’s difficult year started before it had even began when he was forced to miss the entire pre-season.

He hopes the coming season will be different and he is looking forward to getting on the track with the rest of the players with more than five-years experience on Monday.

“I’ll enjoy the couple of days of freedom but then I want to really work back into it,” Cheney said.

“That’s what pre-season is about – you can’t go out there on the weekend to prove yourself through playing so its all about showing the right attitude in order to please the coaches at this time of year.

“As long as I’m doing that and doing everything right I give myself the best chance to have a good year.”

He said he still thought he had something to offer the senior side on field if he could earn his spot once more.

“I’d like to think I can get back to the senior side but there has been a lot of improvement and the game has changed again in the past 12 months that I’ve missed out on,” he said.

“I think I can play a role and get back into the senior team if I’m fit enough to do so but there is a lot of water to go under the bridge before then.

“I’ve just got to focus on getting a majority of the pre-season done now and working hard.”