Essendon premiership player Joe Misiti says being left out of the 1998 finals series proved a turning point in his career.

Misiti watched from the sidelines as the Bombers lost to North Melbourne in the Qualifying Final.

“It was the first time I had been dropped playing footy but it was warranted,” Misiti said.

“I played pretty ordinary, I had a fairly ordinary five or six weeks. The seniors lost on the Saturday, I had to front up on the Sunday to play the twos.

“It was then I said I’m never going to plays seconds footy again and really recommitted myself.

“1999 was the fittest I ever got in that pre-season and had about four or five really good years from ’99 to about 2003.

“It took me so long to find out how much commitment you needed to be an elite midfielder.”

Misiti won two premierships with Essendon, in 1993 and 2000.

Although he can’t pick a favourite grand final, Misiti admits he worked harder for the second one.

“As you know it’s like kids, you like to say you have a favourite kid but you can’t broadcast it,” he said.

“To tell you the truth, ’93 just happened so quickly. The year before I was battling to get on a senior list and 12 months later I’m playing a senior AFL grand final and then a premiership.

“I can’t say we didn’t deserve it, we did deserve it but back then we won with a great little chore of young players – we just thought it was going to happen.

“We just thought we were going to win games and win flags, as we all know that doesn’t happen and we had to wait seven years to play another grand final.

Misiti says he learnt a lot after the 1993 premiership and was able to carry that knowledge with him for the rest of his career.

“First one (grand final) was a real eye opener,” he said.

 “I probably (celebrated) too much and didn’t take footy too seriously.

“I went on a cruise in the (1993) Christmas break. You can imagine me on a cruise with three cooked meals a day, and all the grog is paid for.

“Fair to say we had a fair go, we had a great time but I got back to training and I couldn’t run. I put on five or six kilos and that was the beginning of the end of my ’94 season.

“I couldn’t really get back in the groove and I didn’t know what hard work was.

“I had to recommit myself in 1995 and 1996 to get back in the groove.

“It’s hard enough to get to a grand final, let alone win one.”