{xtypo_dropcap}T{/xtypo_dropcap}om Grljusich was one of South Fremantle's all time best defenders, a man who played a record(at the time of his retirement) 258 league games for the Port club, with a total of 307 league appearances, a member of the Fremantle Hall of Fame, selected in the combined East Fremantle-South Fremantle Team of Legends, as well as Central Districts official Best Team 1964 to 2003, represented both Western Australia and South Australia, and to cap it off was twice best and fairest at South Fremantle and once at Central Districts.

Yet apart from a lunch time kick to kick at school, he didn't play the game until the age of eighteen.

“My time was taken up in the market garden,” Tom explained. “My father finally relented when I was eighteen, and so I fronted up with Cockburn Ex Scholars, coached by South Fremantle stalwart, Billy Woodgate, in 1958.”

The late start to his career made the six foot one and fourteen stone Grljusich determined to get the most out of himself and become as good a player as he possibly could. Right from the start, he was a fanatical, disciplined trainer, and would work hard at any self perceived shortcomings in his game. He was a fan of champion East Perth and Geelong ruckman Graham “Polly” Farmer, and tried to bring features of  the champion's game into his own performances. It's fair to say that there was only one “Polly” Farmer,  but Grljusich's eventual use of his body was reminiscent of an attribute of  “Polly”, and his handball skills became a feature of his game.

Grljusich tasted success early, winning the Cockburn fairest and best trophy in his first season. Both Fremantle clubs were quick to pounce, with tantalising offers from both. “I was always a South Fremantle supporter, so it was an easy decision,” he recalled.

Tom's years in the market gardens had done more for his body strength than any body building programme could have achieved, and he was an instant success when he debuted for the Bulldogs in round one, 1960, as a ruckman, with elder brother George also playing his first game, at centre half back.  It was clear to all South supporters at that early stage that they were watching the unveiling of a long term player for their club, with the determination and competitiveness that young Tom displayed in that first year.

His marking prowess was already a feature of his game, with his strength in packs making him a stand out defender, as well as a “will to win” attitude.

After twelve games of promise, George shocked the club by quitting the game in favour of a broadcasting career, and moving to Melbourne with his new vocation, eventually becoming a sportscalling icon. Tom slotted straight into the centre half back spot, and proceeded to become another icon, one of the best centre half backs of his era. He received 36 votes in the Walker Medal that season, and won the Ampol Award of $200.

After five seasons at South, his consistent form illustrated by being runner up for the Walker Medal in both 1961 and 64, Tom Grljusich received a handsome offer to play in South Australia with the struggling Central Districts, who were trying to improve their fortunes by interstate recruiting, and had already signed other  stars from Western Australia.

The South Fremantle club, winners of just seven matches in 1964, were shattered, and refused to clear their star player, causing Tom to stand out of the game for the first ten fixtures of the 1965 season.  When the ink was finally put to paper, and he lined up in round ten, the previously winless Centrals were victorious over the strong Port Adelaide, with Grljusich playing in the unfamiliar centre half forward position and slotting through five goals. 

South Australian critics were loud in their praise of the Sandgroper, especially his handball skills(“best we've seen since Farmer” was one summary.)

After a sensational half a season with Centrals, Grljusich was all the rage in Margarey Medal voting in 1966. He enjoyed another fine year, winning the South Australian Footballer of the Year Award, but was down the track in Medal voting. Selected in South Australia's Hobart Carnival team, he was named best player for his State in the match against Victoria, when opposed to Footscray star Ted Whitten and kicked four of his side's seven goals. 

Opting to return to South Fremantle in 1969, it was dejavu for Turkey Tom, as he had become known. Centrals decided to play tit for tat with the Bulldogs, and he missed five more games while the two clubs sorted the clearance out. Playing at centre half forward with South now, Grljusich had a barnstorming year to finish third in Sandover Medal voting behind Billy Walker and Barry Cable, despite the late start to his season.

Tom Grljusich tasted long awaited premiership success the following season. Back to his old defensive position for the grand final, his strength in the back line was a factor in the wet conditions of the decider against Perth.  Grljusich continued to give South Fremantle great service in the seventies, despite a broken jaw in a clash with East Perth's toughman Ron Webster and a knee injury that kept him out of the 1975 losing grand final.  

Tom Grljusich announced his retirement from football at the end of the 1976 season, at the age of thirty six.

“It wasn't an easy decision,” he said. “Maybe at thirty six it was time to go, but I felt I was still playing good footy, I was enjoying the game, loved the game, and was as fit as I'd ever been.” His tally of 258 games stood as a record for South Fremantle until Marty Atkins overtook it a few decades later.

He continued on as runner for South Fremantle's league side for several years after his retirement, and became a vice patron of the club. It was as a runner under coach Mal Brown that he experienced the Malcolm Brown wit, and  Tom was kind enough to share another Brownie story with us.

“Running for Mal was never dull,” he said. “ There would always be messages of advice for every umpire and how they could improve their performance, the umps would give an appropriate reply. One day he said, “get Vasoli off the ground.”  I looked everywhere, couldn't find him, and reported the fact back to Mal.

“Bugger me,” said Mal, “this is the first time I've lost a player in seventeen years of coaching.”

Paul was soon discovered hiding behind Paul Harding, obviously aware he was in Brownie's sights.

Tom gave us a who's who of stars of Australian football when we asked him for the best he'd played on. “Who do I pick? Neil Kerley, Barry Robran, Lindsay Head, Ted Whitten, David Darcy, Bruce Doull?”

Best he'd played with was much easier... “John Todd, John Gerovich, and Ken Eustice.”

Tom Grljusich these days is a busy man in real estate, who is still fit enough to talk Paul Hasleby into finding him a spot in his side. He played  a good level of competitive squash until he was fifty five, is still a keen runner, and enjoys nothing better than a sprint around the Royal Fremantle golf links and can often be seen burning up the grass on Davilak Oval.

He follows South Fremantle(of course)  and Fremantle, while having a soft spot for West Coast Eagles.

Tom Grljusich is one of South Fremantle's favourite sons, with his place in the club's heirachy of top players assured, as well as carving a niche for himself as one of Central Districts greats, albeit only being there for a brief two and a half year stint. He was named in their official Best Team, 1964 to 2003, along with two other West Australians, John Duckworth and Tony Casserley.