Tom Highmore (born 24 February 1998) is a professional
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
er playing for the
St Kilda Football Club
The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed the Saints, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. The club plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier league.
The club ...
in the
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
(AFL). He was drafted as a 22-year-old in the
2020 AFL Draft
The 2020 AFL draft consisted of the various periods where the 18 clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL) could trade and recruit players following the completion of the 2020 AFL season.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Natio ...
at pick number 45 overall.
Early life
Highmore was raised in the
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
suburb of
Tuggeranong
The District of Tuggeranong () is one of the original eighteen districts of the Australian Capital Territory used in land administration. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks and is the southernmost town cen ...
and played the Tuggeranong Lions as a junior, winning a premiership with his under 12s side which was coached by his father. Highmore then played several seasons for the Tuggeranong Hawks before moving to Marist College where he was eventually recruited to NEAFL side
Eastlake
Eastlake may refer to:
Places
;Australia
* Kingston, Australian Capital Territory, formerly called Eastlake
** Eastlake Football Club, an amateur Australian Rules Football Club named after that location
;United States
* Eastlake, Lake County, C ...
during his year 11 schooling. In 2016 Highmore was eligible to be drafted by GWS via their Academy (where he also trained with fellow Academy prospect and future St Kilda teammate
Jack Steele
Jack Steele (born 13 December 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants from 2015 to 2016. ...
), but was ultimately overlooked. Highmore continued at Eastlake which became the Canberra Demons (where he became Vice Captain) and was named in the 2019 NEAFL Team of the Year.
Highmore moved to Adelaide in 2020 to play for
SANFL
The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL ( or ''S-A-N-F-L''), is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the state's governing body for the sport.
Originally formed as the ...
side
South Adelaide
The South Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club that competes in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Known as the ''Panthers'', their home ground is Flinders University Stadium Highmore debuted for the Panthers in Round 1 at
Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide. The venue is predominantly used for cricket and Australian rules football, but has also played host to rugby ...
. He averaged 22.6 disposals through his first six league games and took at least 10 marks three times. Highmore had a standout game in the Round 4 win over Sturt, where the he gathered 27 disposals, 11 marks (including two contested marks), laid five tackles, sent the ball inside 50 on six occasions, and contributed eight rebounds. Highmore suffered an ankle injury in Round 7 which saw him miss a month of football. Highmore eventually returned to the side and helped the Panthers reach finals. Highmore's good season was rewarded with an invitation to participate in the 2020 AFL Draft Combine.
AFL career
Highmore was selected with St Kilda's second draft pick, number 45 overall in the 2020 AFL Draft. St Kilda traded pick 54 and future fourth-rounder to Hawthorn on draft night to upgrade their pick to number 45.
In his first pre-season, coach
Brett Ratten
Brett Ratten (born 11 July 1971) is an Australian rules football coach and former player in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played 255 games for the Carlton Football Club between 1990 and 2003, including the club's 1995 premiership. He ...
described Highmore as "nearly a Wilkie clone in the way he goes about it, but he's a right-footer and he played exceptionally well mopping up. He kicks the ball well, he's brave, he's a good size… so whether he's a second-tall defender, or third, he's sort of in that category." Highmore was selected to make his debut in St Kilda's Round 1 clash with GWS, a coincidence for Highmore who had originally been part of the Giants' Academy. Highmore played round two against Melbourne, but was dropped and did not return until round nine. He was committed to the medical-substitute role for round 10. Highmore returned to play seven straight games, including an impressive performance in the round 13 loss to Adelaide where he had 22 disposals, 15 intercepts and 12 marks (8 intercepts). Highmore suffered a hand injury in the Round 18 loss to Port Adelaide. He returned after missing one game to play in two further matches, but re-agrivated the injury and missed the final two games of the year.
Statistics
: ''Statistics are correct to the end of the 2021 season''
, - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...