Plays in Senior Team in His First Season

All footballers derive enormous pleasure out of playing their first game. Whether it be for their local club (usually at a very young age) their junior school, their senior school or in senior footy.

There will always be something special about that first game, something that will be remembered forever.

There is however nothing that comes even remotely close to playing a first game in the highest grade in the land - the AFL

Our club was overjoyed when former player - Tom Cutler, was selected by Brisbane Football Club in the 2013 AFL Draft late last year and since then, we have naturally followed his fortunes with the Lions with a great deal of interest.

Everyone will be aware that it's quite rare for new draftees to play a game with the senior team in their first year. It does happen, but not very often and if it does, it is usually an indication that the player has exceptional talent.

Tom, of course, has never been one to follow the normal development path and has always used his exceptional ability to its best advantage.

Rather than spending his first year or two in the reserve grade, Tom has taken just four rounds of his first season to play his first AFL game.

Tom's first game was played at the Adelaide oval against the Port Adelaide Power and whilst it would be nice to report that his side had a memorable win, the reality is that it didn't.

Obviously Tom would have much preferred his team to have won but the fact that it didn't doesn't lessen the thrill of that first game.

As usually happens, Tom was named as the substitute player and prepared to wait until the last quarter to get into the action. As luck would have it, an injury meant that one player had to be taken from the ground in the second quarter and Tom got his chance.

By all accounts he did pretty well and can be well satisfied with his efforts.

Not one to be content with just one appearance in the senior side, Tom was able to keep his spot and played six consecutive games for the Lions before being given a "breather". The third of those six games included a special game - played on ANZAC day in Wellington, New Zealand and to make it even better, his team had their first win for the season.

That game followed a very serviceable performance for Tom - against Richmond on the 'Gabba' oval.

Unfortunately his team, after showing a great deal of promise in the third quarter were unable to win. Nevertheless Tom played a great game

As Luck would have it, Tom succumbed to injury and that was the last we saw of him at senior level in 2014. Nevertheless, in the games he played he obviously made an impression - illustrated by Brisbane's actions in extending his contract for a further two years.

Our club congratulates Tom on what he has been able to achieve in such a short time in the AFL and will follow his career with a great deal of interest.