"There are some big decisions to be made," Heal told the Herald Sun. "I'm seriously considering it, but obviously there's a few things to think about."

"Family is one and the other big thing is I wouldn't come back unless I felt I could be the best player in my position in the league."

"Melbourne needs two teams and that's where I grew up and that's a really exciting element," he said. "My history as a junior playing for Victoria and Nunawading was a big part of my learning the game."

"I got mentally worn out," Heal said in response to questions about his retirement.

"I felt like I retired at the very best of my career and I just didn't want to do it any more. I think, after 12 months on the sidelines, the right challenge, it maybe would be a situation where I would come back."

On Mark Price, Heal said, "I had an opportunity to be able to meet with Mark Price when he was out here and he was extremely impressive.

"And I guess as a point guard, and probably a far poorer version of Mark Price but playing the same, similar sort of game, he's certainly someone that would be exciting to play for."

Are you for real?

"I'm not in the habit of getting on planes and coming down here for a day ... for a publicity (stunt)," Heal said.

"It's more than 50 per cent, because I certainly wouldn't come down here if it was less than that.

"I won't be playing for the Dragons if the mindset of the owners would be that they're going to finish in the bottom four," he said.

"I certainly wouldn't have continued the talks if that was the mindset.

"My understanding ... is they want to be able to do something no other team has done before, and that's put together a very good team in the first year.

"I'm not saying ...`this is a demand' - if I was to do it, I would have to be at a certain level and if I wasn't at that level, then it's not what I would be interested in and I don't think it's what the team would need, either."

Can he do it?

"I guess that adds to the attraction, that there will be a lot of people who say I couldn't do it.

"There will be a lot of people who say the Dragons can't come into the league and be successful straight away."