Tory Dickson’s journey to the AFL was far from conventional.

Dickson worked as a document controller and as a part-time personal trainer before getting a spot on an AFL list.

“I was doing a bit of everything actually. I was working for my dad as a document controller. He’s got a steel fabrication business and is involved in the construction of jails,” Dickson told westernbulldogs.com.au.

“I was kind of doing that and also a bit of PT (personal training) on the side in the mornings and late at nights which was around my VFL as well.”

Dickson played a total of 9 games for the Western Bulldogs in 2017 after an interrupted preseason kept him out of the side for the opening month of the season.

“I think that’s what all footballers want; a bit of consistency and to get through a pre-season before the real season starts,” said Dickson.

“Last year I had surgery and I barely wasn’t even on the track at this time. I had a little bit of delay in the off-season up to coming back but I haven’t had any niggles from then on.

“I’m feeling fit, I’m doing all the work, I feel like I’m training well.”

After making his AFL debut at 24, Dickson said the opportunity to notch his 100^th game this season would be a special milestone, made all the sweeter for his young son, Riley.  

“It’s a nice little milestone that when I finish football, I’ll look back on.

“My son is sort of reminding me how many games I’ve got to go. Someone must have been in his ear that if I play 100 games it’s father/son. He’s trying to tell me that I’ve got to play 12 games this year.

“(If I was to hit the milestone this year) it’ll mean a lot. It took me a good six or seven years to get onto a senior list.

“It’ll be a great achievement and hopefully I can play more from then.”

Now over the groin issues that have restricted him in recent times, 30-year-old Dickson said the opportunity to play further up the ground would round out his game and offer the team more flexibility.

“I felt like I played my best football when I was sort of wing/half forward, rotating,” said Dickson.

“Last year I was a bit more forward when I did play. As a forward you’re sometimes starved of the ball, (but) to be able to go onto the wing and be able to help the team and even just to get into the play, it builds your confidence.”

Dickson, known for his set-shot consistency, hopes another pre-season building chemistry between all areas of the ground will go a long way to improving accuracy in front of goal – an area that troubled the Dogs in 2017.

“We’re having a lot more set shots and a lot more run shots at goal, specific to your position. We’ve got numbers (at the moment) so backmen are doing running shots and we’re doing it under fatigue.

“There’s a bigger focus on practicing that side of things, not that we didn’t practice it in the past, but, we’ve allocated certain timeslots after quite tiring sessions to kick for goal and have our 10 or 20 shots at goal.”

Dickson said the importance of having interests outside of football has held him in good stead. 

“It’s obviously very important to have something as a backup. There’s still a few little interests in those kind of things with my dad’s work, he’s moving into luxury cars as well.

 “It’s very important, especially for the young guys coming through, that they have something to turn to at the end of their careers.”