Players looking to take their Victorian Football League opportunities travel all over the state and some even interstate to get their opportunities.
For new Werribee recruit, Noah Tullio he just needs to make the five minute journey up the road.
A Werribee local, Tullio signed with the Tigers after a three week trial period where he impressed the club.
Tullio said being able to play at the club that is right around the corner is pretty special. He said it was something he had thought about growing up.
“It’s pretty surreal to be honest,” he said. “It’s pretty cool.
“I was training at Port Melbourne at the time and it was just an opportunity to train closer to home.
“To play here was a no-brainer. I was training around the corner. Some of the boys are travelling for two hours and I’m five minutes down the road.
“From the first training onwards, the boys were pretty welcoming and they wanted to get to know you.”
Tullio joins the Tigers after playing with the Geelong Falcons in the Coates Talent League, where he made the Vic Country squad.
He played his juniors at Werribee Districts before joining Geelong Football League side Newton and Chilwell since 2015.
Tullio said going to school in Geelong it made sense for him to join a local club down there.
He said he loved his time with the Falcons.
“It’s where I enjoyed my football the most I have,” he said. “I made lots of friends and enjoyed playing footy.”
Tullio knows it won’t be easy to break into a Werribee side that won the premiership last year.
At just 169 centimetres tall, Tullio has found other ways to have an impact on games.
“I’ve got to find what will take me to the next level,” he said. “I use my speed and game awareness.
“I don’t really let my height bother me.”
Tullio is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Bior Malual and Jack Riding, who have been signed after the three week trial period previously.
Both are premiership players with the Tigers and Riding named in the team of the year last year in just his first season at the club.
Tullio said seeing what they had done was inspiring and it was now cool to be training with those players.
The 18-year-old, who still dreams of an AFL career, said pre-season training had been really good.
He said he would take things as they come in the lead up to the season.
“The senior boys are encouraging the younger boys and taking the time to give feedback and make sure we are benefiting,” he said.
“I think training will take care of itself [in terms of playing]. I’m coming into a premiership team, I’m not getting my hopes up of playing in round one.”
Joining Tullio on the Tigers list is his Geelong Falcons teammate Cooper Ward.
Ward had a standout season with the Falcons, where he finished fourth in their best-and-fairest and booted 27 goals in 16 games.
Tullio said it was cool to continue their journey together.
Rounding out the club’s new signings is another Falcon, Liam Kershaw, who continues the Kershaw name at the club. Matt, his father, was assistant coach for five seasons under both John Lamont and Mark Williams.
