By Jon Tuxworth
He grew up spear fishing and snorkelling on remote Australian territory of Christmas Island, but Ainslie's Tom Faul could be the Australian Capital Territory's next AFL recruit.
Faul didn't take up Aussie rules until he was 14, but the 18-year-old will attend the AFL's national combine draft from September 30-October 3 and is aiming to become the first Canberran drafted into the AFL since Western Bulldogs onballer Jason Tutt in 2009.
Tom Faul.
Essendon superstar James Hird is Ainslie's poster boy, but Faul's story is proof it's never too late to chase your dream.
"I was born in Canberra, but when I was three years old my mum took us to Christmas Island for a holiday, she got a teaching job and we ended up staying 12 years," Faul said.
"I only played my first proper footy game in Canberra when I moved back in year nine. I spent most of my time on Christmas Island spear fishing and fishing, caving and surfing, it was fantastic and I wouldn't take it back at all."
The Lake Ginninderra College student was introduced to football on Christmas Island by a teacher Rhett Bowden, brother of former Richmond player Joel, and a local policeman Col Guimelli.
The island's population was too small for an organised football league, but Faul played in the adult volleyball competition.
"There wasn't enough kids to have a proper comp or anything, it [football] was more for the enjoyment," he said.
"Before going into college I was playing high level volleyball [for Australian under-17s] and footy as well, but I decided AFL was probably best suited to me."
Faul has spent the past three years in the Greater Western Sydney Giants Academy, and is on the radar of a handful of AFL clubs despite only playing around 50 games of football.
He has played a few of TAC Cup games with NSW-ACT Rams this season, as well as a some NEAFL matches with the Giants.
"They've really helped me progress and develop as a player, especially being so new to the game," Faul said.
"I think I've got the potential and ability to be a good AFL player, the more I play the more confident I feel."
Faul suffered a setback when he tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee during Ainslie's under-18 grand final loss to Queanbeyan this month. While it will rule him out of most of the physical testing, it is only a six-week recovery and he will still head to Melbourne for interviews with clubs.
Former Essendon champion Mark McVeigh will step up as Giants assistant coach next year, but was impressed with Faul in his previous role as Giants Academy head coach.
"Tom doesn't have a huge amount of experience in the game, he's so raw and that makes him one to keep an eye on," he said.
"He's an X-factor really and we rate him really highly, he's got a beautiful long left kick and a great vertical leap.
"He certainly attacks the ball with vigour, the sky's the limit with where he's at.
"Who knows where he could get to with the right training and interests."
Belconnen duo Jack Steele and Austin Logan will also attend the national draft combine, and Faul said it will help settle his own nerves.
"That will help, we're all good mates spent a lot of this year travelling with the Rams," he said.