Thomson Dow’s first year in the AFL system has proven very different to what he had anticipated.
The 18-year-old, who was Richmond’s first pick in last year’s NAB AFL Draft, was settling well into a life as a footballer and eager to prove himself when the season was postponed.
Now back at Tigerland and adjusting to the new normal, he said the AFL shutdown period taught him to be "patient and disciplined".
"We started to get ready to play games and started to get a feel of the whole system, and then when it stopped it was a weird feeling because you’re ready to see what the whole AFL life is like and try and fight for a game,” Dow said.
"But I have learned a lot.
"I think it’s put me in good stead for training now and it’s allowed me to grab the bull by the horns and progress as much as I can."
Fortunately for Dow, he had his older brother Paddy, who plays for Carlton, to lean on during isolation.
The duo returned to their family’s fruit farm in Swan Hill and underwent their training programs together.
"I was lucky enough to have a brother in the same situation so we both had to complete the requirements and we did it together which made it easier," Dow said.
"There were lots of things to do and we helped out dad where we could. I always found I was doing something down there, I was probably lucky compared to some people stuck in an apartment in Melbourne."
Since training resumed just over a fortnight ago, Dow is revelling in the opportunity to learn from some of the senior Tigers.
"Coming back has been pretty good and I feel like I’ve been able to focus on my craft a lot more being in smaller groups," he said.
"I’m in a group with a lot of older boys and they’ve led the way. I’ve found that great for me because I’ve been able to watch them train and see how they go about it more closely.
"One very important thing (for me) was running patterns…so being able to sit back and watch blokes like Dustin and Shane Edwards run out on the track has helped me massively and it’s starting to show on the training track."
Admitting it’s been a "massive jump" from junior to senior football, Dow has made sure to take in as much knowledge as he can in order to grow his confidence.
His efforts paid off in the Marsh Community Series, where he impressed coach Damien Hardwick despite playing limited minutes.
"I feel like I’ve progressed pretty well," he said.
"When you arrive, it can be pretty daunting with all the structures and you feel like you’ve got lots to absorb…you’re a bit like a sponge, you take in all this information.
"But I feel like I’ve handled it pretty well and I’ve learned a lot and now I feel like when I’m out there, I can focus more on specific stuff now that I’ve got the hang of the structures a bit more."
