Lee Cox, one of the competition’s greatest-ever forwards, put pen to paper on Wednesday night, confirming his return to the club for the 2015 campaign.

Cox is back after a lucrative one-year stint with Tooleybuc-Manangatang, where he helped the Saints rise from seventh on the ladder in 2013 to a spot in the grand final last season.

The three-time Hepburn premiership player said he was “shattered” to inform the Central Murray League club he would not be playing there this season, but said a new job back in Melbourne was behind the decision to return to the Burras.

“It was like breaking up with the missus,” Cox told The Courier.

“I’ve got some great friends up there now, with the same hobbies – fishing and shooting. I’ll still go up there during the year, fishing and shooting.”

Cox, who struggled with a groin injury through most of last season but still managed 90 goals, said it was exciting to be back at the club he will always regard as home.

The 30-year-old said he would not have returned to the Burras unless he thought the senior side had the ability to win the premiership in 2015.

“(Hepburn teammate) Andy (McKay) has been pestering me every week since I have come back for work. In the last couple of weeks, Andy has been really hot on my case, saying how good the list was looking and that they’ve been good in the practice matches,” he said.

Cox, a four-time Central Highlands leading goalkicker, has played seven seasons with the Burras since joining them from junior club Darley,

winning grand finals in 2008, 2010 and 2013. He is a multiple century goalkicker and league team of the year member.

He returns to a side looking to redeem a straight-sets exit from the 2014 finals series and is expected to be right for the Burras’ round one clash with Clunes on Saturday, April 11.

tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au