The feeling of team success and winning a premiership while on scholarship at Haileybury College is what motivated new Bulldogs recruit Tory Dickson to ditch aspirations of playing tennis and instead pursue a career in the AFL.

The switch paid off eventually with the mature aged recruit being drafted by the Western Bulldogs with pick 57 in the 2011 National Draft.

Watch Tory Dickson's full interview on BulldogsTV's Official YouTube Channel here.

His transition into the AFL system was not void of setbacks having almost given up the AFL dream at the end of 2010 as a 23 year old, only to be heavily persuaded by Western Bulldogs Assistant Coach Shannon Grant to take one last charge.

Dickson had initially played in the VFL at Frankston under Grant as coach in 2009 and took away the best and fairest award that same season.

“I had the pleasure of having [Grant as Coach] for my fourth year [of football] when I won the Best and Fairest at Frankston then he got the job as Bendigo Bombers coach and he kept calling,” Dickson said. 

“I had made the decision that I had almost given up the dream of the AFL and was going to go play local but he kept pursuing.”

Dickson made the difficult decision to leave the VFL for Noble Park Football Club after the birth of his daughter and played a standout season for the local club.

Grant’s persistence paid off as Dickson agreed to make one last push at a senior football career in 2011, playing 19 games in the VFL for the Bendigo Bombers and kicking 49 goals.

Despite a solid showing in the VFL, Dickson admits he was still surprised when his name was called out to join the Bulldogs.

“I had done a bit of testing down here so I was a little chance but it was a big surprise, I was over the moon,” he said.

Finding solace in having a familiar face at Whitten Oval Dickson has found the transition to the Bulldogs natural and accommodating.

“It’s a wonderful joint… amazing facilities,” he said.

“The guys couldn’t be any better. The coaches are all down to earth and really easy to talk to.

“I found the transition from playing Bendigo Bombers to here just really easy, they have made it so easy to just join in.”

To view Tory Dickson's Player Profile, click here.