Stewart finds path
Clipped Falcon gets his wings after all
THERE was a time in Tom Stewart’s journey to the big smoke when football was not his top priority.
Like any kid growing up in Geelong in the 1990s, Stewart had a profound love for the game, but it was about the time he could legally drive that football took a back seat.
“He was certainly a talent,” Geelong Falcons talent manager Mick Turner says.
“Kids come into TAC Cup programs because it’s based on talent and athleticism, and he was no different.
“But at that time, he played games for us, of course, but he just seemed to be a little bit distracted. He wasn’t quite into it and we had pretty high expectations of him.
“He certainly had the athleticism, we knew he could get the ball and he was a good decision marker. We probably had him earmarked to play centre half-back.
“But he’s probably admitted it himself; his attitude probably wasn’t 100 per cent but that was probably the thing that held him back a little bit.”
Stewart’s stint at the Falcons lasted nine games.
It was not until he was lured to South Barwon by mates his talent was uncovered by then Swans coach and Geelong champion Matthew Scarlett.
“I suppose I fell out of it (football) a little bit when I was about 18 or 19 and then I went back to South and just played with my mates and had a good time,” Stewart said.
“It was after we won a flag in 2013, he (Scarlett) sort of came to me and said — when he had a few cans — that I was wasting my time. So I thought I might as well give it a crack.”
It has been an upward journey since then, including a chance at VFL last year, one he grabbed with both hands, finishing second in the side’s bestand-fairest.
It also brought him to the attention of the Cats recruiters.
“I had a fairly good year (in 2014) but I hadn’t done anything special in GFL and then had a pretty good year the year following and then I came down to the VFL,” he said.
“It’s pretty surreal; I don’t really want to think about it until I’m actually running out there, but it’s pretty exciting and I’m just looking forward to the experience.
“When I hurt my head I did a lot of thinking about how lucky I am and how much I wanted to get back in the team, but I suppose I’m just focused on the task at hand and get out there next week.
“Obviously I’m back in love with it now and loving every minute of it.”
Stewart said the retirement announcements of Andrew Mackie and Tom Lonergan were emotional, but spoke vol- umes of two guys from whom he had taken plenty of lessons.
“They’ve been super — great people — and anybody you ask who has a relationship with them will say that. They’re fantastic people and great characters of the game,” he said.
“The boys were really good about it; the humble champions they are, they didn’t want to make it about themselves and they brought us all in and just said we’re on the right path now, it’s not about them, it’s about the team, so that’s the task at hand and we’re looking forward to it.”
Turner said it would be a great moment to see Stewart line up in next week’s final.
“Most kids get drafted in their 18th year from the TAC Cup, but with Tom, it’s a good story,” he said.
“They’re really good stories because they’re exceptions to the rule.
“If you want to follow your dream and you mature a little bit more, the opportunities are still there. We’re really proud of what he’s achieved.”