From Portland, Ballarat and Wangoom to the AFL. That's the path Tom Templeton is hoping to take, writes JUSTINE McCULLAGH-BEASY.
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TOM Templeton made a big decision with his football future in mind two years ago.
His family relocated from Portland to take on the Wangoom store, in the small farming community on the fringes of Warrnambool, after his grandparents decided to step away after eight years in charge.
Templeton moved too, but unpacked his bags in Ballarat, eager to improve his football at St Patrick’s College.
The school’s rich history — it is littered with VFL and AFL calibre players — appealed to Templeton, who’d just represented Vic Country at the under 16 national championships and wanted to earn a spot on North Ballarat Rebels’ 2013 list.
“A few of my good mates decided to go up there for sporting and school commitments and how much fun they were having up there and the opportunities I heard about, and I’d obviously heard about the school footy program and how successful it was, meant I wanted to be a part of it,” Templeton said.
“I applied for a scholarship and got that and just like that I was up in Ballarat.
“I am glad I made the move, it helped me a lot.”
St Patrick’s College provided Templeton with one of his fondest football memories.
He played in its unprecedented fifth consecutive Herald Sun Shield win on the MCG in June.
“I think we were heavy favourites,” Templeton said. “That’d be easily the highlight, something I’ll remember forever.”
That match came in the middle of a hectic year which has brought the Portland-aligned teenager’s dream of following St Patrick’s elite into the AFL a step closer.
Templeton established himself as one of the Rebels’ most consistent midfielders, using his damaging left-foot kick and elite speed to great effect in 19 TAC Cup games — a big improvement on the six matches he scrambled together as a bottom-age player in 2013.
He was named in Vic Country’s extended squad, although he failed to earn a spot for any of its under 18 national championship games, and then there was a surprise call-up to the AFL Victoria young guns game in September.
That match, which followed the Rebels’ straight-sets finals exit, gave Templeton the chance to impress recruiters on the field one more time.
His strong test results at the state combine a few weeks later boosted his draft credentials.
Templeton, 18, was content with his season, in particular his improvement at TAC Cup level. He played in a number of positions, fine-tuning his ball-winning and showcasing his ability to be a forward threat — he kicked 15 goals — from the midfield.
But, ever the hard worker, the 183-centimetre prospect has identified areas he needs to refine to become a more rounded player — working on his right-foot kick is high on his pre-season to-do list.
“There was definitely a few games I struggled with. I don’t know if it was preparation or maybe my mindset going into the game but I think maybe I got a little bit too complacent and thought things were going to happen after a few good games,” Temple-ton said.
“But overall going from my bottom-age year and only playing six games, having a shocking year, to putting my name forward most weeks in the Rebels’ best and feeling like I was having an impact on the team’s performance was something I was pretty happy with.”
Templeton used his lacklustre 2013 season as fuel for his top-age campaign — he didn’t want history to repeat itself — and it worked.
“Not performing well at TAC Cup level in those games I played was pretty disappointing but it drove me in the pre-season really to get myself into good nick and have an influence on this year, which I think I have done,” he said.
“At the start it was more of an inside role I played and I played about half the season there. I thought I did quite well.
“Then there were a few games I played off the half-back flank.
“The game up in Queensland was the first time I went there and it was probably one of my most satisfying games.
“I really used my attributes well, my speed and kicking, to the fullest.
“I think a couple of games after I had a shocker off the half-back flank …and they decided to put me on the wing.” Templeton started his football journey at West Portland in the Portland Junior Football Association before graduating to the town’s major league side Portland.
He played senior football on top of two junior grand finals in two seasons — the Tigers won the 2012 under 18 flag in the Western Border league before suffering a gut-wrenching loss in their first Hampden league season a year later.
The former Bayview College student opted to remain a Tiger when his dad Andrew, mum Ricarda and younger brother Connor moved to Wangoom — older sister Annie lives in Melbourne — hoping he’d spend most of his weekends in Rebels’ colours.
Connor, 15, now plays for North Warrnambool Eagles and goes to school at Emmanuel College.
Templeton said his connection to Wangoom had gone “under the radar a bit”.
He admits he hasn’t worked in the shop often — “I have made a few coffees” — but he loves spending time in the south-west, where he uses the old Wangoom football oval to play kick-to-kick with his brother and has a makeshift gym.
“My grandparents (Jill and Les Trotter) owned this for about eight years or so,” he said.
“We’ve always been out here and known about the shop and as they got older and mum and dad were struggling to find work in Portland — it’s kind of been going downhill there — and I think they jumped at the opportunity to take over the shop for a few years.
“Jill is a massive fan of the footy. I don’t think she’s missed a game this year. They’ve really enjoyed it, which is good.”
Templeton is unsure of his draft chances.
He has spoken to four AFL clubs and will watch the national draft on November 27 to see if anything comes of it.
But he believes the rookie draft on December 3 is his main chance of graduating to an AFL list.
“I am obviously nervous and excited but I am trying to keep it under control,” Templeton said.
“There is nothing you can control now, it’s up to them. Whatever happens, happens.
“I’m trying not to have too many massive expectations about the draft because I think if you get too hyped up and it doesn’t happen it can affect you a fair bit.
“It is going to be natural to be nervous on the national draft just because anything can happen but I will be looking more closely to the rookie draft.”