MILLICENT’S latest AFL player Tom Hutchesson has just started to acclimatise to life as a Giant, after his first eye-opening four weeks at Greater Western Sydney.
Hutchesson was selected at pick number 65 at the 2019 AFL Draft and has been a busy man over the festive season, with pre-season now in full swing.
The former South East product said the high of reaching the top level has only just settled down as he becomes familiar with his illustrious team mates.
“I was pinching myself at the start, but I am just starting to settle in a bit now and get into the routine of things,” Hutchesson said.
“I am starting to know the boys a bit better and mingle with them.”
Despite possessing plenty of football experience, the 24-year-old believes he has never had to work as hard on the training track before.
“I can’t compare it to anything I have done before, it is just completely different,” he said.
“Obviously training at home is a lot different to up here.
“At home you only train for a couple of days, while here you train five to six days a week, so it is full on.”
Hucthesson said each training goes for about five to six hours a day, which is broken up into many different areas.
Some days he will be perfecting his skills, lifting weights or taking part in various meetings.
Hutchesson said he returns home exhausted, but remains confident he will overcome the initial barriers.
“Most nights I come home sore, but that will come with the fitness in the next few months,” he said.
“I have just got to keep persistent with that and hopefully get fit in the next month or two to give it a real shot.”
Despite Hutchesson’s rapid rise in the past three years, his journey has been far from a smooth ride, but one about persistence and dedication.
In 2013, a young Hutchesson moved to Adelaide to chase his dream with Glenelg’s SANFL side.
But things did not fall the teenager’s way, as he was forced to remain in the reserves side for two years and never made his league debut.
Hutchesson said his time at the Tigers was disappointing and believed his potential AFL career was over when he left.
“I moved to Adelaide when I was 17, but never got any attention,” he said.
“I think I was an emergency twice, but could not get a game in the ones, so I moved back home and put myself into an apprenticeship.
“I thought the dream was finished.”
Back in Millicent, Hutchesson returned to McLaughlin Park and enjoyed a stellar Western Border campaign in 2018.
He led the Saints to a first premiership in 34 years as captain, while he was also named league best and fairest and best-on-ground in the decider.
But it was Hutchesson’s efforts on a different level, which saw him take an unexpected jump back onto the SANFL radar.
He believes his performance for the South Australian Country State team against Western Australia was how he was noticed once again.
The Adelaide Crows SANFL side showed interest in Hutchesson, who said it was too good of a chance to pass by.
“I got asked to play for the Crows and I thought it was a good opportunity, so I took it,” he said.
“I thought I would give it one last crack and see what happens.”
His move back to Adelaide proved to be a master-stroke, as he became a regular member in the high-quality side.
Hutchesson played 15 games across the side’s most successful season with an average of 13 disposals per outing.
He said the experience of playing alongside the likes of Eddie Betts, Bryce Gibbs and Sam Jacobs took his game to new heights.
“Being given a chance at the higher level helped me play better footy,” he said.
“I think the bigger stage is my sort of game, with the good skills from other players and the pace it is played at.
“For most of the year I just played in the forward flank and did my role each week.
“Then I got a little bit of attention from a couple of AFL clubs.”
Despite receiving some interest around the country from talent scouts and nominating himself for the draft, Hutchesson was actually not optimistic about his AFL chances.
He said it was a surprise when he discovered he had finally fulfilled his lifetime ambition.
“I had played some good footy at the Crows and nominated myself for the draft, but didn’t think anything of it,” Hutchesson said.
“I went overseas for a holiday with my girlfriend and when we came back, I found my name on Facebook that I had been drafted to the Giants.
“That is how quick it happened.”
Being 24 years old, he became the oldest GWS draftee to have not been listed by an AFL club before.
Outside of experienced ruckman Jacobs, Hutchesson is five years older than all the other Giants’ recruits.
“My extra experience playing against bigger bodies for a lot more time in my career is a big one being a mature aged recruit,” Hutchesson said.
“But obviously there are a lot of younger ones who have already stepped up, but I think I am pretty well on the same playing park as the other boys.
“In some spots I do have a little bit of an advantage.”
Despite the dream of making an AFL debut being so close to reality, Hutchesson knows where he sits in the pecking order having joined a list packed with talent.
He has not set an exact goal at this stage, but is determined to make an impression to Leon Cameron and the coaching staff during the summer months.
Hutchesson said he is focused on pushing as hard as he can to earn a place in a side which reached last year’s grand final.
“All I can do is just play my role each week,” he said.
“I want to play consistent footy and train hard, so hopefully I put my hand up to get a game sometime.”
