Australian Football

As a strongly built key position player and occasional ruckman, Tom Grljusich played what at the time of his retirement was a record 258 league games for South Fremantle (since overhauled by Marty Atkins) and another 49 for Central District, besides representing both Western Australia and South Australia in the interstate arena. He combined excellent aerial ability with an astute native football intelligence that was best exemplified by his deft and damaging use of handball. 

As a youngster, he idolised East Perth's Graham 'Polly' Farmer, consciously adopting many of that player's trademark traits and techniques, and if he was never perhaps quite on Farmer's level as a player, he nevertheless attracted considerable admiration from the purists as well as adulation from the fans thanks to his insatiably wholehearted approach to the game. If he had a weakness, it was that his kicking tended to be somewhat less reliable than his handball, so that on occasion he would disappoint supporters by winning the hard ball against all the odds, only to surrender it immediately with an ill directed kick.

During his short stay with Centrals, Grljusich won a best and fairest trophy in 1966 and a leading goal kicker award, with 33 goals, the following year. At South Fremantle, he won fairest and best awards in 1968 and 1972, and was the club's top goal kicker, with 36 goals, in 1967. However, the highlight of his career was undoubtedly the 1970 WANFL Grand Final when, playing at centre half back, he was one of the best performers on view as South Fremantle broke a 16-year premiership drought with a 15.7 (97) to 6.18 (54) defeat of Perth.

After retiring as a player, Grljusich served as South Freo's runner for a time. In May 2004 he was selected in Central District's official 'Best Team 1964 to 2003'.

Author - John Devaney