TOM Fullarton’s journey to Melbourne may not have been the conventional route, but it’s one the new Demon is grateful for.

The 24-year-old started his sporting career in basketball, playing for the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL after a successful stint representing Australia in the U17 FIBA World Cup.

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Tom Fullarton | Hits the track

Tom Fullarton finds his feet in the red and blue.

Following his two years at the Bullets, Fullarton made the move across to footy, signing with the Brisbane Lions as a Category B Rookie.

After 19 senior games across five years at the Lions, the forward-ruck was traded to the Dees, welcoming the fresh challenge at a new club.

“I made the move over from the Brisbane Bullets halfway through 2018, I just sort of lost the passion and always wanted to come back to footy at some stage and I haven’t looked back ever since,” Fullarton told Melbourne Media.

I really enjoyed my five years at Brisbane, but I’m really looking forward to this new opportunity and new environment.”

An interstate move can often be an overwhelming experience, with a new city and new club to adjust to.

Having been based in Victoria since November, Fullarton said his Demon teammates had made the adjustment as seamless as possible.

“I’ve been really enjoying my time down here,” Fullarton said.

“I’ve been in Melbourne for about a month and back to training for a couple of weeks and it’s been really good to just settle in and meet all of the boys.

“It was a bit daunting coming here and not knowing any of the players on a personal level but they’ve all been so welcoming and so kind.

So, I really appreciated that from them, it’s made the transition really easy.”

As a former basketball player, Fullarton boasts plenty of natural sporting talent, set to add height, endurance and athleticism to Melbourne's list. 

He most recently played 18 matches for Brisbane’s VFL side, kicking 30 goals and averaging 15 disposals a game.

“I feel like I’m really mobile for my height and my position, so I try and use that to the best I can,” Fullarton said.

“I watch other players in the league like Luke Jackson and Rowan Marshall and those sorts of tall-ruck forwards and I just really want to crack in.”

While his expertise comes inside 50, with a strong contested mark and ability to convert in front of goals, the Demon will look to hone his ruck craft while in the red and blue.

With the guidance of one of the top rucks in the league in Max Gawn, Fullarton said he’s ready to embrace all that the Melbourne skipper has to offer.

“I haven’t had a lot of the experience in the ruck at AFL level,” Fullarton said.

[Max] has been one of the best in that position for a long time, so I’m really keen to just be a sponge and learn a lot off him on the field.

“And then off the field, he seems like the ultimate professional, so I’m really keen to learn off him.”

While settling into his new career and life at the Dees is the current focus, Fullarton has one clear goal for 2024 – to play AFL.

“My goal is to play AFL as much as I can, that’s been the goal ever since I made the move over to football,” Fullarton said.

“I just haven’t really got that consistent opportunity yet, so my goal is to try and crack into the team and help contribute in the best way I can.”