A humbled Mattingly accepted the league's best-and-fairest award on Monday night, but knew instantly it was something he must mentally brush to one side, instead focusing solely on the side's grand final date with Echuca where he will look to win his maiden premiership.
“I'm still getting over it a little bit but there's a fairly big game coming up,” Mattingly said.
“You just brush it behind you and put it to the back of your mind because there's something so much more important to achieve on the weekend.
“It is a massive honour, I've been talking to a few people about it and it is nice to get that recognition for hard work over a long period, over my whole football career.
“It's nice, but as everyone says, it's not what you play for. We missed out last year, that was my first grand final, so my second one I'm hoping we can turn things around.”
Win or lose, Mattingly has found a new home at the Kyabram Football Club; two years ago he had not stepped foot in the Goulburn Valley, and now is on the verge of entering the club champion category.
But it is not just the on-field success that has the 23-year-old loving his time at Bomberland.
“The club is amazing, just the way they've welcomed me in as a stranger moving to town, and extended that to my girlfriend Georgie who is playing netball at the club now too,” Mattingly said.
“It's amazing, whether it's the trainers, committee, netballers, footballers, it's just a great club and it's really not a surprise to me that is has been so successful.
“Success is built off the field as much as on it and that's why I personally dedicate (the Morrison Medal) to the club. It's made my life easier and I owe a lot them, and to (coach) Paul (Newman) personally.”
Almost underrated is how seamlessly the Bombers have covered the loss of midfield jet and 2018 best-and-fairest Liam Ogden, with their midfield group retaining its impeccably high level of play.
Mattingly identified a couple of key factors as to how his department had not missed a beat this campaign.
“One of the main ones is Pat Wearden, his year has been unbelievable,” he said.
“Similar to me, he had been playing a bit more on the outside, on a wing or half-forward, and has stepped into a midfield role.
“I also think the evolution of Zac Norris has been a massive one for our midfield, with the way he's improved even just from the back end of last year to now, he's had a big role in our development.”
While there is no doubt each and every player that took to the field for the Bombers last season will have thought about last year's heart-breaking grand final loss this week, Mattingly said there was no need for that to be brought up around the side for motivation.
“We're pretty different this year, even if you look at a guy like Josh Dillon who was a best-and-fairest and a premiership player in the twos last year, he's come in and cemented a spot,” he said.
“There's stories like that making things different and you move on pretty quickly.
“It still burns, you still think about it and it is a motivator to play the football we know we are capable of.”
It should be noted no player in GVL history has won the Morrison Medal, Wilf Cox Medal and a premiership in the same year.