Clay Priest is all too aware of the opinions some people have about him.
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He knows there's those who say he's cost the Mudgee Dragons one or even two premierships in the past two seasons.
But the former NRL hard man won't be changing anything as he approaches his return to the Peter McDonald Premiership.
In each of the past two years, Priest has been suspended late in the regular season and missed the finals.
In 2022, he was forced to watch on as his Dragons were knocked out by Dubbo CYMS at the preliminary final stage. Last season was even more painful.
Priest said he was "gutted" to miss the 2023 grand final and he was stuck on the sideline as Mudgee suffered a shattering 25-12 defeat to the Fishies.
The player-coach served the final week of his suspension in round one of the 2024 season last weekend. That was another tough watch as an uncharacteristically poor Dragons side was thumped 46-22 by Orange CYMS.
Priest will make his return on Sunday, May 5, when the Dragons travel to Dubbo to take on the Macquarie Raiders.
"A lot of people criticise the way I play and I can be hot-headed and whatnot but that's just me," Priest said.
"It's instilled in me and that's how I play and I suppose it's probably what got me a career in football.
"You're not going to shy away from it and try and play a different style of football because that's not what I'm about.
"It does upset me, obviously, not being part of the final series, but I was still their coach. I rode the wave and the highs and the lows as much as they did."
As much as the past two years hurt, it also stoked the flames within Priest.
The man who played 39 top-flight matches over three years in the NRL had considered retirement after the 2023 season, but the desire to win that elusive premiership brought him back.
"It instils a lot of motivation in myself," Priest said the decider defeat.
"Most definitely, because I've missed both finals series. I've definitely got a point to prove for myself and the club.
"That's what's motivating me to take on this role again. I was sort of looking at retirement but I want to play a finals series and I want to make it all the way, hopefully."
Jack Littlejohn was another who considered retirement after last year but he's also returned and the pair won't be the only players with NRL experience in the Dragons lineup this season.
After announcing the signing of former Indigenous All Star Zac Saddler last month, the Dragons this week locked in former Roosters and South Sydney forward Anthony Cherrington.
Cherrington played 24 NRL matches between 2008 and 2017 and creates one of the most potentially destructive packs in bush footy alongside Priest and Saddler.
Sunday's match against Macquarie is scheduled to kick-off at 2.30pm at Apex Oval.