Tommaso ‘Tommy’ Pellegrini scored a goal with his first kick in footy.

An exchange student from Italy, Tommy arrived in Fremantle on 15 July and moved in with his host family, the Bessens.

After watching his first game of AFL, the Carlton Mid Derby on Sunday 24 July, Tommy fell in love with the game and decided he wanted to play.

He turned up to training with our partner club, the Fremantle City Dockers Junior Football Club on Tuesday 26 July and coach Simon Maxwell had no hesitation in selecting him in the Dockers’ 16/17s team as a ruckman/forward.

Tommy did his bit to help the team beat Jandakot and was rewarded by his new team mates with the customary showering of drinks whilst singing the club song in the change rooms.

There were a couple of minor hiccups along the way, however.

He gave away a 50m penalty for not delivering the ball to the opposition player, dropping it to the ground as he is accustomed to doing when playing rugby back home.

There was also a free kick awarded against him for holding the ball after he thought he took a classic chest mark. Tommy didn’t hear the umpire call out “touched ball” and instead attempted to barrel his way through a pack.

Tommy, an Italian school representative rugby player, is a participant of the AFS Intercultural Student Exchange Program. He will be a John Curtin SHS year 11 student for the next six months, where his talents with a trumpet have seen him become a member of the John Curtin Jazz Ensemble.

We hope you enjoy your stay in Australia Tommy. Keep kicking those goals!