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THERE is an irony in Tory Dickson being one of the breakout stories of the draft.
Dickson spent much of his time away from football this season hanging around prisons.
"He works with his dad. His dad builds jails," Western Bulldogs recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple explained.
A heavy workload, and a part-time job as a personal trainer to supplement his income, meant Dickson trained for footy no more than half an hour a week through winter.
Despite that, and the travel from Beaconsfield to Bendigo to play in the VFL, Dickson kicked 48 goals in 19 games this season.
It sparked the interest of new Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney, who had closely followed the Bendigo Bombers in his role as an Essendon assistant.
Bendigo coach Shannon Grant already was a long-term fan, so when McCartney and Grant arrived at Whitten Oval they began lobbying to pick him up.
The Dogs drafted the 24-year-old on Thursday with pick 57.
It is understood Essendon coach James Hird also was a fan.
Essendon has had success with another promoted Bendigo player, Stewart Crameri.
Yet Dickson was an unknown to many of the AFL recruiters.
He was an elite tennis junior who won a scholarship to Haileybury College and did not play in the under 18s.
Bendigo believed Dickson was playing to only 70 per cent of his potential, so the Dogs are convinced there is major upside.
"Macca and Shannon were really strong on him and we think he can really improve playing full-time footy," Dalrymple said.
"He won a lot of stoppages in the midfield, he kicked goals from ground level and on the lead.
"He's a bit of an all-rounder. He fits our profile at 24. He's in that age group where we're probably a little bit light on."
Dickson also ticks the big box McCartney sees as a non-negotiable - he is a competitive beast with a hard body.
"He's a big body around the contested ball, which is going to be a huge focus ... it already is," Dalrymple said.
At only 184cm, Dickson kicked 112 goals for suburban powerhouse Noble Park last year.
He won a best-and-fairest at Frankston in the VFL in 2009 under Grant.
It was Grant who convinced Dickson to leave Noble Park and have a shot at making it in the AFL, via Bendigo.
McCartney has big plans for him, including a massive summer on the training track.
All the heavy lifting in building jails will be left to the old man.
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I've still got it, but it's a matter of time!
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