By Will Jeffares
For most aspiring footballers growing up in Australia, the dream is to make your way onto an AFL list, run out in front of thousands of fans and rub shoulders with some of the best players in the country.
Well, that’s what rejuvenated Dolphin Tom Murphy was lucky enough to live out after getting drafted by North Melbourne ahead of the 2018 AFL season. While his time in the system was brief, Murphy got to experience a crazy few seasons as a Kangaroo.
After his time at Arden Street came to an end, Murphy’s love for the game had admittedly waned, but a return to his local side in 2023 helped the 26-year-old rediscover “that love” and enjoyment for football.
Flash forward to now, after enjoying a scintillating season as a full-time midfielder at Frankston and having his name back on the radar of AFL clubs, Murphy says he’s more prepared than ever to make a return to the highest level.
A Mornington Peninsula local, Murphy grew up in Somerville, southeast of Frankston, and was surrounded by several sports since the beginning, but a career in football was the main objective.
“My old man played a lot of footy; he was at Beaumaris Football Club. He always got me the footy early days,” Murphy said.
“Then I played Auskick and really fell in love with the game at an early age.
“I went to Somerville (Football Netball Club) and played there through my whole juniors, all the way from Under 10s to (Under) 18s basically. I played a bit of senior footy.
“Just (from) a little country town in Somerville, I was lucky enough to live on a little bit of land and got to run free.
“I was always out in the yard kicking the footy or playing basketball, tennis. I just loved all sports.”
Murphy took the traditional talent pathway playing football, being a part of the Dandenong Stingrays program as he worked towards his dream of playing AFL.
Unfortunately, illness on the eve of his draft year in 2016 sidelined him for around three months, hampering his chances of getting picked up as an 18-year-old. However, the Stingrays would offer Murphy a lifeline to return to the Club the following year.
A positional change, some impressive form and a stint at VFL level saw Murphy courted by North Melbourne at the end of 2017, with the Kangaroos drafting the then-defender with the 4th pick in the Rookie Draft.
“I really enjoyed the (Dandenong) Stingrays. Obviously, at footy clubs, you get to meet a lot of new people and build new friendships, and that’s what Stingrays was. I’ve got a lot of long-term mates there,” he said.
“The professionalism (is something that) I really loved, and I felt I thrived in that environment.
“I probably worked too hard as an 18-year-old, and then it all hit me about a week before Round 1. I got sick with glandular fever, so I missed 11 or 12 weeks of that year and then came back and played some alright footy playing as a forward.
“I didn’t get picked up, but Stingrays offered me to come back as a 19-year-old, which is where I played some midfield and forward, and then towards the back end of the year, I played as a defender.
“I got to play a little bit of VFL footy at Williamstown as well. Then (I was) lucky enough to get picked up at the end of that year.”
Now officially living out his dream, Murphy reflected on the jubilation of finally getting to hear his name called out during the Rookie Draft, not only for himself but for those around him who have been by his side throughout his career.
“It was a really exciting time. As a young kid, it’s what you dream of, playing AFL footy,” he said.
“You work so hard and really work your butt off. Not only you but your family too and all the sacrifices that they make, driving you all across Melbourne and they take that journey with you.
“Meeting with clubs, I had a fair few interviews. My family were a part of that (process) as well.
“You always want it but never expect it, so it was a big shock to have my name called out in the Rookie Draft. It was all very exciting and overwhelming for my family and just a whole heap of enjoyment.
Murphy would feature nine times at AFL level for North Melbourne between 2018 and 2020, making his debut in Round 11 of the 2018 Season against Brisbane at Marvel Stadium.
A very late inclusion after veteran forward Jarrad Waite injured himself during the pre-game warm-up, Murphy would collect 14 disposals, as well as being dowsed in plenty of Gatorade, as the Kangaroos coasted to a 54-point win over the Lions.
He would feature three more times that year, while also adding five more games to his tally in 2020 before unfortunately getting delisted by the Club at the end of the season, alongside 10 other Kangaroos including Mason Wood, Jasper Pittard, Majak Daw and Jamie Macmillan, in what was a mass list cull.
“It was good, another place that I got to enjoy myself and hone in on my skills and get the best out of everything, and that was all in my lap being at North Melbourne,” Murphy said.
“You’ve got all the facilities to really get the benefits and help me succeed.
“The first year, I was lucky enough to play four games, that was really exciting.
“Second year was also going well; I had a massive pre-season, and I felt I’d carried myself well through that and, yeah, unlucky to get injured with my ankle.
“I was out for a little while and then struggled to get back in after that.”
Murphy’s third and final season at the Club would be the craziest and not one that he nor any other player around the league was anticipating as COVID-19 caused matches to be played in front of empty stadiums before a hub was formed in Queensland, with players leaving their homes to go interstate in order to continue the season.
“I went again (for a third) pre-season, had another big one. Played Round 1 against St Kilda, that was with no crowd actually, and (we) all (went) back into the rooms and got told we had to go home, basically,” Murphy recounted.
“I think it was for a month, maybe, we all went home before they worked out we could all go into the hub over in Queensland.
“It was just a crazy, crazy year. At times, (it was) pretty isolating not having family and friends by your side but still I just put my head down and went to work.
“I played a few games, but life happens, and it didn’t go my way, but it was a great experience and hopefully I can get back there.”
Murphy praised former Bulldog, Kangaroo and Cat, Shaun Higgins, as an important figure for himself during his time at North Melbourne, saying that the veteran was a big help in supporting him, especially with the mental side of football.
“I did a lot of work with (Shaun Higgins) and did a bit of journaling and little things like that which help me release all that information I was holding inside,” he said.
“They just help me focus a little bit more going into training and gameday, just putting down some focusses or simple things that allowed me to not get too distracted or overwhelmed.
“Shaun was really big and I looked at him as a bit of a leader through that time, especially in that last COVID year.”
After being delisted by the Kangaroos, Murphy admitted that his passion and enjoyment for football had diminished.
Determined to keep pushing on, however, he weighed up interstate interest at state-league level from both the WAFL and SANFL before deciding to move to Adelaide, where he would sign on with West Adelaide for the 2021 season.
“After getting delisted, I didn’t really enjoy footy at all,” Murphy revealed.
“After you sit down with yourself for a little while, you feel like you should give it a go.
“You’ve been at the highest level, you can’t just stop there, especially when you feel like you belong there.
“It was either going to be WA, I was going to go to East Perth, or West Adelaide.
“I think the conversations were that the SANFL was probably a better competition, at that stage for me, so that’s why I decided to take off there.”
Murphy played 16 times for West Adelaide in 2021, averaging 20 disposals (going at 89% disposal efficiency) and 74.6 ranking points per game during his stint in the red and black.
Though only a year long, he said he enjoyed his time in Adelaide and was grateful to the Club for giving him the opportunity to continue playing, especially with many leagues continuing to be affected by the pandemic.
“It was a really good move. I met, again, some really long-term friends that I have now and put myself out of my comfort zone, which made me grow as a person,” Murphy said.
“I’m very thankful to West Adelaide for giving me the opportunity, it was just a heap of fun and I really enjoyed it.”
A move back home to Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula was on the cards for Murphy in 2022, joining Frankston after speaking with former Senior Coach Danny Ryan.
However, despite making 17 appearances for the Dolphins in 2022, he would continue to struggle with his passion for the game and, alongside several external factors, he wasn’t able to get the best out of himself in his first season at the Club, deciding to take a step away from VFL football at the conclusion of the season.
“Danny Ryan reached out, and I’d been in conversations with him a couple of times,” Murphy said.
“I knew a few of the boys there too, and I thought I’m heading back home, and it was my first time to play locally, and I thought Frankston was the place to go.
“I had a partner at the time when I was in Adelaide as well, and she wanted to move back home, so that’s why we decided to come back.
“Good bunch of people (at Frankston), but I just struggled mentally. I was going through a bit of a rough patch with football and didn’t really love the game, fell out of love with the game, to be honest.
“I just went through the motions that year and just had a few things going on outside as well that affected that.
“It was just unlucky. I wasn’t enjoying my footy and I couldn’t get the best out of it in that year.”
Ahead of the 2023 season, Murphy, alongside his best mate, returned to his boyhood club, Somerville, where he was able to “let the hair down” away from VFL football.
Playing in the MPFNL for the Division Two Seniors, Murphy and Somerville would fall just short of achieving premiership success at the hands of a former teammate and Frankston great.
But most importantly for Murphy, it brought the fun back to football.
“It’s funny that I’m back at Frankston now because 2023 is probably where this all happened,” Murphy said.
“I decided to completely switch off and go back to where I grew up playing at Somerville, and I brought my best mate, Mason de Wit, along with me.
“I just let the hair down and had fun. Drinking on the weekends, not really taking myself too seriously.
“(I was) still doing my gym and all my prep that I usually do but just really being in the moment.
“We were pretty successful, we ended up making the Grand Final and unfortunately lost to Mornington against (former Dolphins captain) ‘Joshy’ Newman.
“It was just a super fun year to play with your best mate who you grew up playing Stingrays footy with. It really brought that enjoyment and fun factor back to footy for me.”
Murphy said the season gave him a “little itch” to make a return to VFL level and, after several discussions with newly appointed Frankston CEO, Fraser Bayne, as well as Senior Coach, Jackson Kornberg, he turned his back on interest from other VFL clubs to return to the Dolphins for the 2024 campaign.
“I had a message pretty early, it might’ve been just before the end of the Somerville season or just after, and I ended up going in (to the Club) with Mason to have a chat with Fraser,” he said.
“It went well, and I didn’t think too much of it, to be honest. I was just having the conversation because Fraser reached out, it wasn’t really on my mind.
“Then ‘Jacko’ reached out, I had a good chat with him. I was in conversations with Frankston, and then also Essendon had reached out too, I was working out that way. I went to their facilities, and I was just weighing up the options.
“I ended up catching up with ‘Jacko’ and just the conversations that we had, and sitting down with my family, it was just going to be better to play for Frankston. I knew a lot of the boys there; it was close to home, and it just felt right to make that decision.”
And what a decision it was.
With some off-season departures in the midfield, Murphy was able to move into the engine room as a full-time on-baller under Kornberg in 2024, as well as being named as part of the Club’s leadership group.
Featuring in every game possible this season, he has flourished in his new role, averaging 23 disposals and regularly being amongst the side’s best.
Murphy said he thoroughly enjoyed the year, with the players, atmosphere and staff all contributing to allow him to continue to enjoy his football now that he is back at state-league level.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s good to work with these younger boys coming through and developing and hungry for success, not only for the team but for themselves,” Murphy said.
“Because I’ve got that love back, I feel like I can give some of that. Being able to act as a leader and help people who want to be helped, which is pretty much everyone at Frankston, to be honest.
“It’s just a heap of fun. I suppose I brought that from Somerville, bringing that fun and I feel like Frankston has that local football feel.
“With the fans that come on The Hill. You’ve got the drums, the bongos, everyone is just having good fun. It’s a really enjoyable place and I’m just glad I made that decision.”
After getting the tick of approval from the coaches to make the move into the midfield, Murphy spent the season focussed on maintaining consistency, as well as his explosiveness from the middle, as he became one of the most damaging midfielders in the league.
“(Moving into the midfield) is what I did at local last year. That’s what I wanted to do coming back, I wanted to transition that into VFL footy and see how I’d go,” he said.
“My focus has been my first three steps, explosiveness, and just that enjoyment. Keeping my eyes low and trying to be as consistent as possible.
“I try to be consistent every week with my prep and gym, and make sure I tick all the boxes during the week and, hopefully, everything falls into place on the weekend, which it has been.
“I’m a big believer that consistency is key and also just the enjoyment side of things and the mental state is in a better place now as well.
“That’s just a massive thanks to the Frankston Football Club, to be honest.”
With a full-time Senior Coach in Kornberg now at the helm, Frankston players have had access like never before this season, with Murphy praising Kornberg for his genuine care and efforts towards the playing group, as well as highlighting the impact of much-loved midfield coach, Tim McGibney, on not only himself but the fellow midfielders at the Club.
“It’s perfect really (having a full-time coach). If I’m at work and I’m thinking about something that I did at training the previous night, I just send him a text and he’ll look at it for me and send me some vision straight away,” Murphy said.
“Having that full-time coach is elite. To be able to go into the Club when you’ve got the day off, or you want to do some extras with him.
“I think the really good thing about ‘Jacko’ is the genuine care he has for you as a person. His ability to have conversations and really check in with you and your family and make sure everything is running really well is also a great trait he has.
“Not just for me, but for all the players in general. He’s just very caring and that’s the same with Tim McGibney.
“His care for us midfielders is amazing. The travel he has to do, (he) gets pulled away from his own family, but for him to bring the same amount of love and fun that he has for his family to us is really amazing. That goes for all the coaches too.”
While Frankston’s season may have come to an end last Saturday after an Elimination Final loss to Southport, like many players, Murphy said he thoroughly enjoyed the year as the Club broke a 16-year Finals drought to finish in the top eight, including a famous Wildcard Round win over Gold Coast.
Murphy was unfortunately ruled out for the season with an ankle injury that he suffered against the Suns, ending his season early ahead of the clash with Southport.
However, Murphy said he is incredibly proud of how far the Club has come over the course of the season, with Kornberg creating a presentation for the players prior to the Wildcard Round game against Gold Coast to reminisce on their journey together as they embarked on their unexpected Finals campaign.
“On Tuesday night (in the week leading up to the Wildcard Round) at training, ‘Jacko’ put together a presentation of our journey through pre-season all the way through to now and just had some memories of what we’d created throughout the year and the bond and connection that we’d done,” Murphy said.
“It’s amazing how much we’ve actually achieved throughout the whole year.
“This was not an expectation to play finals but the connection that we’ve built and the fun we are having and the gameplan has put us in a great position.”
After his impressive season personally, Murphy’s name has come up in conversations around a potential return to the AFL.
The 26-year-old was discussed earlier in the year leading into the mid-season draft in May, alongside George Grey, with both set to once again attract attention this off-season for a berth at the highest level.
Murphy believes his previous experience in the system and maturity have him “a lot more prepared” for another opportunity to add to his nine senior games and continue his lifelong dream, aware of what he can improve on a second time around.
“I do want to return (to the AFL),” Murphy said.
“I definitely feel like I’m more mature now, mentally. I feel a lot more prepared, and I know what it is I did wrong when I was on an AFL list.
“I just want another opportunity to not only prove to myself but to prove to people that I’m capable.
“That’s why I am back, partly, just to give it one really good crack and hopefully I can get on a list.
“I feel like I am more prepared and equipped than I have ever been. I feel like it’s what I’m meant to be, an AFL footballer. There’s nothing else that I think about throughout the day, I can’t switch off from it.
“I love the game, and I feel like I’m good enough to be at that level.”
