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Tom Fullarton

Dingo
in Melbourne Demons

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I had sort of forgotten about Tom until l got up close to him yesterday at training..He is a big unit.What are people’s thoughts about him?

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    It's pretty damning that since we traded for him, we've drafted 2 players to play the same role as a forward 2nd ruck.

    Whilst he was underwhelming at Casey, I would have given him a game or two late in the year to see what he had to offer. 

    I'd love to be proven wrong, because we are crying out for a capable ruck/forward, but I don't think Fullarton will be the answer.

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    34 minutes ago, mo64 said:

    It's pretty damning that since we traded for him, we've drafted 2 players to play the same role as a forward 2nd ruck.

    Whilst he was underwhelming at Casey, I would have given him a game or two late in the year to see what he had to offer. 

    I'd love to be proven wrong, because we are crying out for a capable ruck/forward, but I don't think Fullarton will be the answer.

    I saw him play games that contributed more than Jefferson. You would think that after needing a forward/ ruckman last season he would have got a game or two. We recruited him from the Lions where he played a number of games. Seems his papers were stamped during 2024, his first season at the club. Strange!

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    A ruckman that can’t ruck.

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    1 hour ago, mo64 said:

    It's pretty damning that since we traded for him, we've drafted 2 players to play the same role as a forward 2nd ruck.

    Whilst he was underwhelming at Casey, I would have given him a game or two late in the year to see what he had to offer. 

    I'd love to be proven wrong, because we are crying out for a capable ruck/forward, but I don't think Fullarton will be the answer.

    It was another non-selection special adding to some of the baffling match committee decisions we’ve seen over the past three seasons. 

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    I reckon thats why we got our other big Tom this last trade period.

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    1 hour ago, bluey said:

    A ruckman that can’t ruck.

    Many can't but he couldn't dominate around the ground either.

    The one positive is that Casey as a team in 2024 were largely dysfunctional form wise so no one really stood out. Also there were a few too many windy days at Casey

    Perhaps he will have a better 2025

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    17 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

    Many can't but he couldn't dominate around the ground either.

    The one positive is that Casey as a team in 2024 were largely dysfunctional form wise so no one really stood out. Also there were a few too many windy days at Casey

    Perhaps he will have a better 2025

    A weak and imbalanced Casey helps no one.

    Think Casey have brought in a few capable players this off-season which should see Casey improve, hopefully then we can get a better picture on some of the younger lads. 

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    2 hours ago, old dee said:

    I saw him play games that contributed more than Jefferson. You would think that after needing a forward/ ruckman last season he would have got a game or two. We recruited him from the Lions where he played a number of games. Seems his papers were stamped during 2024, his first season at the club. Strange!

    Jefferson is a very different player being trained to play a very different role.  Really hope he (MJ) gets a go in the ones this year - we desperately needed someone who could lead out of the square in the way BBB did, it really gives us so much more structure and headaches for the opposition.

    I really don't mind that Fullarton hasn't worked out so far.  Not every roll of the dice is going to produce Shane Woewoeden and he still has time. 

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    Disappointing for Fullarton that he wasn't selected for the Essendon and Freo game where we didn't have a ruck. We got away with it against Essendon in the wet but we were annihilated in the ruck against Freo. Surely he could've provided a better contest than Petty against Freo.

    Didn't see much of Casey this year but did watch him kick 2 goals along with 25 possessions and 8 marks at Punt Road on Anzac Eve which is a solid day's work for a ruck/forward or a forward/ruck. He must have been close to selection at that stage.

      

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    7 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

    Disappointing for Fullarton that he wasn't selected for the Essendon and Freo game where we didn't have a ruck. We got away with it against Essendon in the wet but we were annihilated in the ruck against Freo. Surely he could've provided a better contest than Petty against Freo.

    Didn't see much of Casey this year but did watch him kick 2 goals along with 25 possessions and 8 marks at Punt Road on Anzac Eve which is a solid day's work for a ruck/forward or a forward/ruck. He must have been close to selection at that stage.

      

    I recall Max saying that Fullarton was very close to selection for around 1 2024

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    2 hours ago, bluey said:

    A ruckman that can’t ruck.

    He was never recruited as a ruckman. He was a forward that could pinch hit for 5-10 minutes per quarter. Not sure why the club is getting flak for recruiting him. We paid nothing for him and he was never expected to be an Outstanding taken 

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    Difficult to know what the plan is for Fullarton without talking to the footy department in my opinion.  I believe he was recruited as a tall forward to pinch hit in the ruck, but last season for Casey, he played a lot of time in the ruck.   Casey was a bit of a basket case through injuries etc so difficult to judge his qualities. He struggled a bit in the ruck against bigger, older bodies but did some good things around the ground without being dominant (in the games I saw).  With Campbell helping out in the ruck at Casey this year, I would hope to see him play more time as a forward, to see how he goes. Too early to tell on him, given last year's circumstances in my opinion..   

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    1 hour ago, D Rev said:

    Jefferson is a very different player being trained to play a very different role.  Really hope he (MJ) gets a go in the ones this year - we desperately needed someone who could lead out of the square in the way BBB did, it really gives us so much more structure and headaches for the opposition.

    I really don't mind that Fullarton hasn't worked out so far.  Not every roll of the dice is going to produce Shane Woewoeden and he still has time. 

    I have seen little from Jefferson that suggested he is more than a average player. Now admittedly I didn't see many games in the last third of the season. 

    Edited by old dee

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    Strictly HFF 

    After the euphoria of the draft some sober reflection.

    DL has more mood swings than Ashton’s Circus high trapeze act. Without a net.

    Edited by Tarax Club

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    Never seen him play, but reports through demonland haven't been great.  I guess it says more about the lions development programs.  If you get drafted you have the talent or physical attributes, but development is the key.  Hopefully another preseason will fix some of his gaps and we may see him in the firsts. 

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    Don't rate him, never have, and was even more perplexed we went after him especially when we already had another non competitive forward in Josh Schache. Fullarton actually plays more like a tall forward flanker then a key forward/ruckman.

    Watched him against Footscray earlier on the year and he got completely smashed in the ruck by an 18 years Lachie Smith who had just been drafted a few months prior. Seeing that absolutely resonated with my opinion that this was simply a poor recruiting choice from the very start.

    But, he deserves a clean slate going into the new year and if we do get decimated with injuries down back then why not throw him down and see if there is something worth persevering? I simply can't see how he squeezes into our forward line next year.

    Sometimes you just don't know unless you try something different. He's got the height and athletic ability to play on the modern talls and could be a handy 3rd tall if need.

    Edited by dazzledavey36

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    He's incredibly inconsistent in the VFL, there was no stage where he had 3 or 4 good games in a row, he might play 1 or 2 OK games that would get people excited but then be down the next week.

    He was nearly a free hit - a 3rd round pick we weren't going to use on the draft - so didn't cost anything except for the list spot, and maybe we thought he was maturing into his body and AFL life. Hopefully another pre-season and he can push towards a game?

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    I noticed a lot of positive comments about him in the most recent training report. I hope when Goodwin put a line through him last season, it was just for his ruck work, which I agree was ordinary. I think there are some decent attributes there - great follow-up after the ruck contest, highly mobile/agile etc. I hope he gets a shot at being a KP forward or even moved back with his agility. Either way he's got a year to have a crack.

     

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    Very much a basketballer playing football from the very limited I saw of him at Brisbane. Doesn't make the most of his frame, if anything plays like a small forward in a 200cm man's body. 

    Not just happy to be proven wrong, I would welcome it because it would be a massive difference maker. As of right now, I don't see it. 

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    He is not a ruckman and never will be 

    His chance is to try and perform at a key position forward or back

    Given he did reasonably well for the Lions reserves side as a key forward that’s most likely his best shot 

    A bit like a few who have gone before him needs to show more aggression and willingness to compete when the ball is contested 

    2025 is possibly make or break for as an AFL listed player it’s all up to to him now 

     

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    4 hours ago, Oxdee said:

    He was never recruited as a ruckman. He was a forward that could pinch hit for 5-10 minutes per quarter. Not sure why the club is getting flak for recruiting him. We paid nothing for him and he was never expected to be an Outstanding taken 

    We did pay for him. A late third round draft (albeit a cheap commodity), salary, a list spot and club resources. He isn't playing for free. 

    I never thought he would be a pure ruck but it's easy to see why other supporters think he is when our own website has him listed as one.

    Screenshot_20241212-184119.png.812e30b428cf180073627b537ecaed35.png

    I have no idea why he had such a stinker of a season. His stats and history suggested that he could play at AFL level.

    I'm predicting he gets played on defence at Casey at some stage this year.

    Fingers crossed he is able to turn it around this year.

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    Jeffo has more natural ability

    AJ has more campaigner

    Leaves Fullarton in limbo and to spend his twilight years at Casey

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