Thomas Lee

Tom Lee is a junior power forward who earned his second AFL chance when St Kilda traded with GWS for him during the trade period in 2012.

Early Career
Lee grew up in the Western Australian town of Dowerin, which was famous for producing star Hawthorn forward Lance Franklin. “Growing up playing AFL footy Buddy Franklin was always the talk of the town,” Lee said.[1]

Draft and Adelaide Crows 2008-2009
Lee was drafted to the Adelaide Crows with pick 60 in the 2008 AFL draft. At just 17 years of age, Lee didn't make a senior appearance for the Crows, and instead spent the year playing for the SANFL side Sturt. At the end of 2009, Lee was delisted after just his first season. When asked in 2012 about what happend, Lee responded "I get asked that question a lot and I pretty much put it down to a lack of maturity. I was a long, long way off being ready for it." [2]  According to Lee, he didn't handle the close attention and greater scrutiny of being an AFL-listed player; "it's the kind of thing I can handle comfortably now, but back then I couldn't deal with being in such a professional environment where, with every mistake you make, you're wondering: how will people view that? To go straight from a really nurturing environment at home into a situation where you have to do every single thing right, and be professional and disciplined, was something I found hard. Back then I thought I was fit and I thought I was working hard, but I wasn't doing anywhere near enough. I thought: 'OK, I'll do the bare minimum and be just as good as these other guys', when they were in there on their days off doing extra stuff to get even better. I didn't have the right attitude, which I hate to say, but it's the truth, and now that I've grown up a bit I have a much better work ethic and that's helped me get much fitter. Over time you realise that when it's late in the last quarter, you want to be the one still running and hitting your targets."[3]

Resurgence and Second Chance at Claremont 2010-2012
Following his delisting in 2009, Lee returned home to Western Australia and played for Claremont in the WAFL. By 2011, Lee had decided to give the AFL another shot and worked his way back into form. He drew attention from Fremantle, who invited him to train with them at the end of the season. However, the dockers decided not to draft Lee, and he returned to Claremont for season 2012.

Lee had a sensational year in 2012, playing with WAFL side Claremont. Lee stated the season as a defender, but a switch forward proved to be a great change."At about round six or seven we started to play him up forward and he really started to take control of games," Claremont coach Marc Webb said. "His contested marking has been a real asset for us all year. His form in the back end of the year and in the finals has been really good."[4]  Lee also earned praise with a best-on-ground 6-goal performance in the Foxtel Cup grand final against Werribee in August.[5]

Lee kicked 59 goals in the WAFL season, while extending his 2012 total to 70 with impressive Foxtel Cup performances.[6]

Due to Lee's impressive season, he was scouted by several AFL recruiters, who believed his value could have been as high as 20 to 40 in the national draft.[7]

In late 2012, with Lee being touted as gaining a possible lifeline in the AFL, he opened up to the media about what had changed since his dark 2009; "I needed to be gone after a year, if anything, to get that realisation that footy can end just like that. It made me realise how much harder I had to work and where my attitude was at," Lee said. "Not getting that second year was a blessing in disguise because it made me go home and get my head right." [8]  Lee was interviewed by Fremantle, Brisbane, Geelong, Richmond, Melbourne and St Kilda - and they all wanted to know one thing: "They're interested in what happened in Adelaide and interested in how and whether I've changed," Lee said. "They're really poking at my mindset and trying to find out whether I'd be able to make an impact this time. All I can say is that I really do want to."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1em;">[9]  Claremont's coach also praised his power forward: "From the moment I stepped in he's really been professional. He's stepped up and he's worked hard," Webb said. "I think he was a bit disappointed last year because he trained with Freo and a few clubs spoke to him about being rookied, but he missed out. After that he really focused on giving himself a good opportunity to play good footy and make sure that he did everything right. He's certainly done that, so hopefully that puts him in good stead for the grand final and for whatever happens beyond that. He won't take anything for granted. He's been on both sides of the draft and he knows that nothing is certain. He's the type of guy that applies himself really well.""<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1em;">[10]

Arrival at St Kilda 2013-Present
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Lee was traded to St Kilda by the GWS Giants, who pre-listed him and the on-traded him to the Saints for pick 12 in the 2012 October trade period. In return, they traded Lee, along with picks 24 and 43.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1em;">[11]  “We are extremely pleased to have come to an arrangement with GWS for Tom Lee to join the Saints," St Kilda head of football Chris Pelchen said. "Tom has had an outstanding season with Claremont, developing into one of the leading forwards in the WAFL competition."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1em;">[12]  Lee said he was thrilled to be joining the Saints: "I’m very surprised at how quickly being drafted has happened but I’m equally as excited. For now I want to hopefully put myself in good stead to have a solid preseason and I just want to play my role and play well for the club.”<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1em;">[13]  Of Lee's recruitment, coach [[Scott Watters] stated that "Tom is an exciting addition to our list. At 195cm, talented mobile forwards are hard to come by so he is a great acquisition to our team. "This was a break-out year for Tom where he developed into a dominant forward in the WAFL competition. He was also a key contributor in Claremont's premiership side."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1em;">[14]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">On his playing style, Lee commented that "I try and model my game a bit on Sam Reid from Sydney. I haven’t seen much of him but from what I have seen I see a few similarities in how we play."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1em;">[15]  Lee also stated that he was familiar with St Kilda development coach/Sandringham coach Simon McPhee; "Macca and I have a very strong relationship from when I played for Claremont in 2011. He’s kind of the one that really got me going again and got me seeing how much I wanted to play.”<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height:1em;">[16]