Tutt set to impress

[bornadog]

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Impressing the Senior Coach with pace and precise foot skills is one thing, but it is the resilience to bounce back from his recent injuries and a positive attitude towards his rehab that has 21-year old Jason Tutt in Coach McCartney’s good books.

Being restricted to the sidelines is never where an athlete wants to be but Tutt has capitalised on the time away from the field and come out the other side with a body better equipped to deal with the rigours of senior AFL.

“Macca has said to me that I have shown him set-backs might come my way, but I seem to be able to get past that and push on and get back to where I want to be - pretty quickly as well,” Tutt said.

“To have those injuries and get through them and build on the weaknesses that I’ve had in my body, which If I was playing I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do, I have come out on top - better than what I would have been if I played.

“There are definitely positives that have come from being injured and it always happens for a reason."

Tutt burst on the scene in his Round 22 debut last year, gaining early attention kicking three goals with his first three kicks - to end with four goals, 26 disposals and six marks.

His efforts were rewarded, solidifying a spot in the Bulldogs line-up to play out the final three games of the season.

Growing in confidence, Tutt was eager to impress the new coach when Brendan McCartney was appointed in September and off the back of a solid pre-season was eyeing a spot in the Bulldogs NAB Cup campaign.

Fate unfortunately had other plans and two weeks out from the first match he endured his first hamstring bleed - sidelining him for three weeks and keeping him out of the squad that took on GWS Giants and Collingwood in NAB Cup Round 1.

Convinced his luck was due to change the 21 year old finally made his comeback in the second round of the VFL getting through the game unscathed - however two weeks later he was again struck by injury, this time the other hamstring.

After missing another two weeks in rehab, Tutt played just his fourth VFL game for the year against Werribee and again tried to move forward from his horror injury run.

His bad luck would not end there however, and in a final hit, the versatile utility tore the medial ligament in his knee against Port Melbourne one week later - and this time the prognosis was more severe with six weeks off the track.

“The fact that I played the games last year and I had expectations in my head of where I was going to be - to not be meeting those expectations was kind of frustrating,” he said.

“With a new coach coming in you want to be out there, you want to be showing him what you can do and impress.

“I haven’t really had much of an opportunity to do that this year with the number of games that I have played, so I am still showing Macca what I can do.”

The Canberra product did not dwell on his misfortunes and instead worked exceedingly hard to return a week ahead of schedule.

After two games in the VFL Tutt began to regain the speed and form that won him multiple fans in his debut game.

Re-gaining confidence in his skills and gaining momentum Tutt held his position for a second week against Hawthorn and is again named in the team to take on Carlton on Saturday night.

“It is good to get an opportunity to play - even if it is as sub, it is an opportunity - I am just happy to be playing in the firsts again,” he said.

“The coaches are trying to get me back up to the speed of things and hopefully over the next couple of weeks playing some full games of AFL and going from there - giving me a bit of confidence in my tank again.

Aiming to play out the rest of the season with a high level of intensity Tutt wants to secure his spot in the starting 22, uphold the high standards he sets for himself and finally show Macca exactly what he is capable of.

[bornadog]

Hope he is not the sub again

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I hate it when they write a story on a bulldog player as they never play well the game after the article.

Looks like MBac has spent some time with him over the past 6 months

[G-Mo77]

Hope he is not the sub again

He couldn't possibly be sub again could he?

[LostDoggy]

Through me, My Son Sponsors Tutty, and although we were impressed with his play after being subbed on, we both felt that he hasn't had enough Matchplay to play a whole game. Then again, it may be because he virtually played the whole qtr & 1/2 after coming on and he seemed Buggered. He did well but he seemed to run out of legs, plus like the rest of the team seemed to have no idea of where he was ment to position himself.
After all that, I hope he has a blinder tomorrow

[w3design]

I hate it when they write a story on a bulldog player as they never play well the game after the article.

Looks like MBac has spent some time with him over the past 6 months

So true everytime.

[Go_Dogs]

I really like Tutt. When I saw him play last year at AAMI (for Williamstown) one of the features of his game was his running to space/position to create an option to receive. Obviously, the game against Port at AAMI later last year was much the same, he found himself in good spots and finished with 4 goals for his efforts.

What I'm getting at, is I wonder if his positioning, as observed by those who've seen him live the last couple of weeks is a fitness issue, or if he is confused about exactly where he needs to position himself due to an unclear or confusing message? It should be a strength of his if he's going to become a consistent AFL performer.

[Ghost Dog]

Hope he is not the sub again

Especially when other's like Sherman and Howard are not stepping up. Enough! bring him on.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I really like Tutt. When I saw him play last year at AAMI (for Williamstown) one of the features of his game was his running to space/position to create an option to receive. Obviously, the game against Port at AAMI later last year was much the same, he found himself in good spots and finished with 4 goals for his efforts.

What I'm getting at, is I wonder if his positioning, as observed by those who've seen him live the last couple of weeks is a fitness issue, or if he is confused about exactly where he needs to position himself due to an unclear or confusing message? It should be a strength of his if he's going to become a consistent AFL performer.

I'm not sure Tutt's first three goals were good positioning at all. One was a rebound from a smother and another was from a horrible turnover (as PA had the ball at the time why hadn't he manned anyone up?). I think he got a bit lucky.

[AndrewP6]

Especially when other's like Sherman and Howard are not stepping up. Enough! bring him on.

Bit hard for Shermo today, he's not playing!

[Go_Dogs]

I'm not sure Tutt's first three goals were good positioning at all. One was a rebound from a smother and another was from a horrible turnover (as PA had the ball at the time why hadn't he manned anyone up?). I think he got a bit lucky.

Don't let the facts get in the way of supporting my point!

You're right, but still, his ability to find space and create position, and do so quickly with his speed, should be one of his assets at AFL level and based on the reports of his running (albeit a very small sample size) thus far back in the senior side, he seems a little lost for one reason or another.

[Ghost Dog]

Bit hard for Shermo today, he's not playing!

Been a very disappointing season for Shermo. Trade bait?

[jeemak]

Been a very disappointing season for Shermo. Trade bait?

I think he's going to have to be retained if he has a contract, we're not going to get much for him at the trade table.

[azabob]

Been a very disappointing season for Shermo. Trade bait?

I think he's going to have to be retained if he has a contract, we're not going to get much for him at the trade table.

One of the top teams may look at him, but we'd have to pay some of his coin.