Millicent carpenter Tom Hutchesson swapshis nail gun for a footy on Adelaide Oval this weekend
Millicent carpenter Tom Hutchesson still can’t believe the whirlwind 12 months that has taken him from country footy in the state’s South-East to Adelaide Oval this weekend.
Country footballer Tom Hutchesson is living a double life.
From Monday to Friday this week he’s been working as a carpenter in Millicent and training with his local team the mighty Saints in the state’s South-East.
But on weekends he swaps his nail gun and tool belt for a Crows guernsey and this Saturday will play in front of thousands of people in the SANFL finals at Adelaide Oval.
The 24-year-old has had a life-changing 12 months that started with helping Millicent break a 37-year premiership drought last season, before joining the Crows as a SANFL top-up player this season.
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And the midfielder has been so impressive that not only is he about to play in the first state league finals Showdown against Port Adelaide, but he’s also been invited to attend the state AFL Draft combine so AFL clubs can have a closer look at him.
“If you told me this time last year this would all be happening I wouldn’t have believed you,” he said.
“I played in the state (country) game against WA and got a couple of phone calls from SANFL clubs after that, and at the start of this year the Crows asked if I’d be keen to play in a couple of trial games.
“Then (coach) Heath Younie picked me for Round 1.”
Suddenly Hutchesson went from playing country footy with his mates to lining up alongside AFL talent like Bryce Gibbs, Josh Jenkins and Hugh Greenwood, who recalls the first time Hutchesson was discussed in a team meeting.
“We had our SANFL trial against Norwood and we all met at the club for a captain’s run and Heath went through the team,” Greenwood said.
“He said ‘this bloke Hutchesson we’ve never seen him before, he’s down in the country, we’ve Skyped him so he sort of knows the structures but if he needs a hand make sure you help him out, but we’ve seen a couple of his clips on YouTube and he looks electric’.
“Then he rocks up and kicks three goals in the first half on Norwood and everyone was like ‘who on earth is this bloke?’ and he’s been in the side ever since.
“He’s a ripper, he’s got some speed and a real X-factor about him so hopefully he gets picked up.”
Hutchesson was born and bred in Millicent but moved to Adelaide for two years when he was 17 to play SANFL footy with Glenelg. But he returned to Millicent at 19 and last year played in the club’s drought-breaking flag.
“It was pretty big,” he said.
“It meant a lot especially to some of the oldies around the club.”
He started this season doing the eight-hour round trip in the car to play for the Crows but now flies in on Friday nights after work, stays with a mate at Morphettville and flies back to Mount Gambier on Sundays.
It took him a few weeks to feel comfortable playing with his new teammates but is loving every minute of it.
“The first few games I was a bit timid probably, not running to spots where I normally would,” Hutchesson said.
“But I definitely feel more comfortable now and I think my teammates are confident to give me the footy.”
As well as training Tuesday and Thursday nights with Millicent, Hutchesson does his own gym work and extra running to make sure he’s in the best possible shape for the state draft screening in October.
“That definitely came out of the blue,” he said.
“I’m definitely keen and excited to give it a crack.”