Priddis on his brilliant year

A Brownlow Medal and another baby on the way - what a year it has been on and off the field.

Looking back, winning the medal started a fantastic couple of weeks and I've never experienced anything like it. I've always tried to keep a low profile, but I was also conscious of trying to keep everyone happy and I threw myself into media commitments. But I've never been so mentally drained or fatigued.

There were a couple of days in the second week where I was basically in bed all day with migraines. I was cooked. But after that, it quietened right down and I got the chance to unwind and reflect and enjoy it. You try to go as slow as you can and take it all in.

I'd watched the Brownlow Medal count since I was a little kid and it's hard to explain the night because it happens so fast.

It's a memory I'll always have and you're just pinching yourself: "Is this really happening".

Afterwards, we met up in a room with Eagles board members, coaches and teammates, and to be able to share that moment with them was something special.

And no disrespect to the award, but I don't want it to fully define me at this stage in my career. That can be for when I've retired.

I'd felt like I'd had a pretty consistent year but it was during our second bye in July that I really got the chance to freshen up by going to Dunsborough with my family and not getting the normal knocks and bumps you get week in and week out in AFL footy.

I came out of that feeling good and hit some good form and likewise with our team. It was a real turning point for the footy club.

A few teammates, particularly Dean Cox, started having a bit of a dig at me that I would win the Brownlow. Coxy was relentless but I just fobbed it off.

The year started off pretty nervously for me, knowing we had a new coach, Adam Simpson, and a whole new coaching group. It was almost the feeling of being a rookie again and a case of trying to win the respect of the coaches as quickly as I could.

You don't really know where it's going to fit, what their vision for the season is or even whether there's going to be a spot for you.

That really helped me and became even more of a driving force for me to keep trying to improve and to get the best out of myself.

It was refreshing, too, to have a new coaching group with fresh ideas for training and a slightly different game-day style of play.

One thing I do remember about January is that we were in the lecture theatre a lot, trying to get our heads around the new terminology and the style of play.

We played under a different trademark this year and while it's similar at each club, it's how you live it out, train it and play to it that counts.

Ours this year was unity, competitive instinct and elite.

Going back to 2008, the club was going through a cultural change, now it's a little bit different and we're all about trying to get that on-field success again.

We're hungry for it and I really believe we're on the right track.

We just missed the finals and we were a chance right up until the last game, but you have to be in control of your own destiny.

We left our run too late and we got what we deserved.

Late in the year, I signed a contract extension until the end of 2016. It's never crossed my mind to leave West Coast, a club that gave me the opportunity when I was just so desperate to get a start in the system. It's been an amazing time and I just want it to last as long as it can.

My wife Ashleigh, who is just amazing in her support for me, is also due next month to have our second child to join us and our two-year-old daughter Nala.

Being a parent gives you great balance and I'm really looking forward to going through it all again because that excitement really flows into your footy.