Tom Hickey

[TheSunGod]

DETAILS
HEIGHT 201.4
JUMPER # 40
WEIGHT 87.4


http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/the-team/player-profiles/tom-hickey/

The son of a former top-level Brisbane rugby league player, Hickey showed plenty of promise as a representative volleyballer before taking up AFL football two years back.

A two-metre tall ruck and key position project player, he joined GC SUNS as a Queensland Zone priority selection at the end of the 2010 VFL season.

Despite his relatively late arrival to the sport, Hickey was a standout at the recent NAB AFL Draft Combine at the AIS in Canberra. He was the best-performed ruckman in the agility test and equal second best among ruckmen in the beep test. He also ranked second overall in the new 'clean hands' test.

Onfield, Hickey confirmed his reputation among talent-spotters when during Queensland's final Under 18 game of the year against Northern Territory at the 2009 National Championships he won 29 ruck hit-outs, kicked a goal, collected 12 possessions and made five tackles. He also starred in the AFLQ grand final for his club side Morningside. Up against Labrador's former AFL ruckmen Peter 'Spida' Everitt and Trent Knobel, Hickey won a string of clean taps and took several hugely important marks and was widely considered the difference between the two evenly matched sides.

 

[TheSunGod]

Youtube footage of Tom in action for Queensland -


[YOUTUBE]BKOXQgZRFh8[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Sunny_]

Out of seemingly no-where, Hickey has come up to seriously challenge Gorringe for the mantle of second ruck. He did some good work late last year, and seems to have followed through with it against GWS.

What I like most about Hickey is his tap work. He seems to get clear taps and palms it down to his midfielders. Very good to see.

He came on in the third quarter against GWS and amassed 7 hit-outs, 8 touches, 2 tackles, 4 marks and kicked 1.1. He also did not give away any fouls, something very good in a ruck.

Gorringe is going to have to ramp it up. Hickey is closing that gap very, very fast.