Mick McGuane opens up on son Tom’s VFL debut and AFL draft hopes and dreams
Nearly 20 years since he last played for the Pies, Mick McGuane opens up on what it was like watching his son Tom don the black and white stripes for the first time.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Collingwood father-son prospect Thomas McGuane made his VFL debut for the Magpies on Saturday night.
We asked columnist Mick McGuane to pen his thoughts on what it is like being the father of an AFL hopeful — and how it would feel if Thomas is to follow in his footsteps and officially join Collingwood at the end of the year.
Dreams can come true.
I’ve often dreamt about being back at Collingwood one day.
Last Saturday night, those dreams became reality.
It was my first inner-sanctum experience with the Magpies since I finished my playing career at the club in 1996.
It had been 29 years since I was in the Collingwood rooms pre-game and the club’s VFL players at Frankston on Saturday night weren’t even born when I played in the 1990 premiership.
Would they even know who I was? It didn’t really matter.
I was there to present my son, Thomas, with a Collingwood jumper for his VFL debut, an emotional experience which brought back plenty of memories.
It was 38 years to the week since I first pulled on the black and white stripes in a senior capacity, for a club that I grew up passionately supporting.
Collingwood runs in the blood — and this is hopefully just the start of the next chapter.
I remember driving to the Western Oval for my own debut against Footscray in 1987, where I got to line up alongside some of my boyhood idols including Peter Daicos.
Now it was 17-year-old Thomas’ turn to do the same — albeit at VFL level — as he looks to achieve his own AFL dreams, hopefully beyond this year.
As a parent, time goes quickly.
It doesn’t feel like that long ago that I held Thomas up under his armpits at about six months old and put a footy on the ground in front of him.
He kicked at the ball with his left foot, which I thought had to be a mistake.
The McGuane family was full of right-footers, so I let him have another go.
Again, he kicked at the ball with his left-foot and that’s still his preferred kicking foot today.
Since then, there has been plenty of father and son time with a footy involved.
I coached Thomas through his juniors at Keilor — often with him as captain — and even coached him in a senior premiership as a 16-year-old in 2024.
That experience wasn’t gifted — it was earned through hard work — but was a memorable day for both of us.
All those hours of kick-to-kick, coaching and helping to improve a variety of skill sets are definitely worth it when I look at where Thomas has got to today.
To see him smiling in the rooms ahead of his VFL debut — surrounded by AFL premiership heroes such as Jordan De Goey, Bobby Hill and Mason Cox — was priceless.
My premiership teammate Gavin Crosisca was there, too, as was our former Magpies team manager Eddie Hillgrove.
It made me think about why footy clubs are so great to be around.
Footy is about connection and extends far beyond just the players — it’s also about all the family, friends and the wider support network around them.
Thomas’ mum, Kellie, was beaming with pride but was equally nervous which was understandable.
His sister Brittany and her fiance Jordan were there with their four-month-old daughter Ellazarah, not that she will remember much as she slept most of the night despite the music and bongo drums.
My mother and father — Margaret and Bryan — would have been there if not for recent health challenges.
My dad has spent the past 10 weeks in hospital, but as I told Thomas pre-game — “They’re fighting the fight and putting up a white flag is not a part of us so when it gets tough out there tonight, just think of them.”
Thomas also received numerous messages of support ahead of the game, including from those at his beloved Keilor Football Club and even from Collingwood identities like Peter Daicos and Eddie McGuire.
One of my best mates Brandon and his wife Kate even made the trip to the match with their two kids, Evie and Jax, who held up a ‘Go Tommy’ banner they had made to bring along.
After starting the game on the bench, Thomas got his opportunity in the No. 81 jumper.
He spent time across half-forward, on a wing and late in the game had a brief stint onball.
Footy has changed since I played.
It used to be about playing with reflex, instinct and intuition, but now it’s more about playing a role within a system-based environment, even though footy smarts still play a significant role.
Watching Thomas closely, he showed the discipline to not be a ball-chaser but instead run the right lanes and keep his shape on the outside, creating pockets of space for others to work into.
He was also clean with his hands — which is perhaps one of his great strengths.
I’ve always encouraged Thomas to play ball sports — whether football or basketball or anything else — to help develop those ball-handling skills.
That left-foot was also used for a kick off the ground just like he did at six months old.
He ran hard forward and found himself in the right spot at the right time to soccer through a goal from the goalsquare during the third quarter.
There wasn’t any outwardly, over-the-top celebration from me.
But internally I felt filled with pride.
Thomas finished with seven touches from managed game time, but it will whet the appetite and provide invaluable lessons for what is hopefully to come.
Driving home with him in the car that night, my advice was simple — “Go to the Collingwood v Richmond AFL match at the MCG tomorrow, sit in the grandstand and watch and learn from those who play the roles to what you’ve just experienced tonight. This game never stand still and neither can you.”
He did just that as he continues to build his knowledge and understanding of the game.
While I’ll continue to be there for Thomas to provide support, it feels like a baton change moment.
As a father and a family we feel we have done what we can to prepare Thomas for what’s next.
Now it’s Collingwood’s turn to try and develop him further and it will be the list management team’s job to decide whether or not he is worthy of being drafted at the end of the year.
He hasn’t made it to an AFL list yet, but he’s dreaming big and working hard to achieving his goals.
Footy has always been a huge part of our lives and we both love the game — and the Magpies — greatly.
So I would have a huge sense of pride to see Thomas drafted this November.
The father-son rule is such a great part of our game, which must be preserved.
Legends of the game like Tim Watson, Gary Ablett Sr, Peter Moore, Ken Fletcher, Stephen Silvagni, Tony Liberatore and many more would surely support that.
It will be surreal if Thomas has the opportunity to rub shoulders with his own boyhood heroes — Josh and Nick Daicos — at Collingwood in the not-too-distant future, just like I did with their father and my hero Peter in my own debut.
Now that would be something we can only dream about.
More Coverage
Originally published as Mick McGuane opens up on son Tom’s VFL debut and AFL draft hopes and dreams
‘Disappointed’ Giants still backing in Greene despite dirty acts
Stephen Coniglio has backed in Toby Greene’s leadership despite him landing in yet more hot water for an off-field indiscretion, this one well off the ball.
Blues zero in on TDK replacement as Saints flag Marshall intention
Carlton has entered the chase for a fringe big man to bolster its ruck stocks should Tom De Koning depart - but they’re not alone as the annual ruck merry-go-round heats up.