By Callum Twomey

OCCASIONALLY at Caulfield Grammar training last year, Tom Bugg would march into the middle of a drill and stop it halfway through. He'd get everyone's attention, suggest a way to be doing it better, and then order the team down for 30 push-ups.

"His presence out on the track was awesome," Caulfield coach Darren Lowe says. "He'd just take control."

Bugg, of course, carried a presence with him that went beyond that of simply being captain of his school's First XVIII team. Having been picked by Greater Western Sydney as one of the club's 12 17-year-olds it was able to select in 2010 as part of its draft concessions, Bugg was already an AFL-listed player, though still at school in a different state.

Bugg embraced his final year of school, especially his football. He would send Lowe text messages throughout the week in the lead-up to games talking about injuries, ideas and thoughts about the next opponent. But he always had one eye on the Giants.

Instead of spending 2011 in Blacktown with the rest of the Giants squad, Bugg chose to finish his VCE in Melbourne before heading to Sydney.

"It was a pretty big decision and it meant missing out on the things that the other 17-year-olds got," Bugg says. "But I loved last year."

He moved into the boarding house at Caulfield Grammar - the daily commute to and from home in Pakenham was taking its toll - where his progress was monitored by the club. But before that, he had spent his 2010/11 summer holidays training with the Giants in Sydney and took much from the experience.

GWS assistant coach Mark Williams planted ideas into Bugg's head about how to approach his footy in his last season of school, and beyond. Instead of telling Bugg how to play, Williams talked him through situations, pushing him to ask questions and think of solutions.

"Choco's amazing. He doesn't just coach, he tries to teach you and helps you understand it," Bugg says.

It left an impression. Throughout the year Bugg did individual sessions with the club's Melbourne-based fitness coach. He'd catch up with mentor, and current Giants teammate and assistant coach, James McDonald. He used Caulfield's resources to improve every inch of his game.

On his boarding house doorstep was the oval. Across from it was a gym and indoor facility. Step out the front and turn right and then right again and he could use the pool for recovery purposes. It was all of benefit. He won the best and fairest and many viewed him the best player in the APS competition.

He also played four games with the Giants in the NEAFL between school duties, something he found a testing experience. The first game at that level flashed by, with Bugg feeling out of place. Slowly he got used to the speed and physical nature of the competition, and it was no coincidence his two best games at NEAFL level were his final two.

"It was a bit of a challenge stepping up a level like that," the 18-year-old revealed. "As the year progressed I thought I played better in the NEAFL. I also had to travel up and back, which not every other player had to do, so in the circumstances I was happy."

Almost each Saturday when he wasn't playing for the club, Bugg would ring his good friend Dylan Shiel, who was also a Caulfield Grammarian but moved to Sydney as a pre-listed selection with the Giants. Bugg would find out what they were up to, and who had played well in their games. Shiel was one of many immediate links.

The pair had risen through the ranks together. They were opponents in under-14s, both won scholarships to Caulfield, went through the AIS-AFL Academy program in 2010 and ended up at the Giants.

Basketball was Bugg's first passion, and it shows in his play.

An attacking half-back, Bugg is a sharp left-foot kick and has clean hands. He manages tight spaces well, seeing gaps where few might. Gippsland Power regional manager Peter Francis likens his smooth style to that of Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury, another player whose basketball background is evident. "He's a little bit like him in the way he moves," Francis says.

Bugg's got a nice leap but he's also brave and knows where the ball is going before most. "He could always see ahead of the game and just knew which ways to turn," says his father Jim.

If he can break through for his AFL debut, Bugg would likely play in defence, though he did develop a handy knack for kicking the opening goal of the game last season.

Bugg's parents Jim and Kerry have played a strong role in his progression. They travelled to Sydney late last year to help Tom settle in and are headed back to Sydney this week for the first round of the NAB Cup. Tom has three older sisters - Naomi, Lisa and Chloe - and his football genes come from his mother's side of the family.

Kerry's father, John 'Jack' Ramage, was named full back of the century at Gembrook Football Club. He played over 300 games at the club in Melbourne's south. He died three years ago - before Bugg's rise began to take shape - but still plays a role in his grandson’s football. Bugg remembers his advice often: attack the ball, back yourself and play in the right spirit.

"I was really close to him and the only reason I started playing was because of him," Bugg says.

Jim has kept Tom honest. Once as an under-15, Bugg ate a tub of ice cream - his guilty pleasure - before training. He felt sick during it, came home and told Jim, who stressed the importance of preparation. The next day, this time before basketball practice, Tom again tucked into a bowl of ice cream, but was caught by Jim. They didn't talk for a week. "I don't eat ice cream any more," Tom says with a laugh.

Bugg has matured since then. In fact, it has always been a trait. As a junior footballer, he would make sure his less talented teammates got a touch in games, even though he could easily dominate without much help.

At 16 he cited his biggest inspiration as his best friend's brother, who had had cancer, two knee reconstructions and a ripped hamstring but still played footy.

Bugg even once said his AFL idol was James Hird, not because of the way he played but the way he carried himself. "He's a humble kid but has always had a good sense of those around him," Jim says.

But there have been some natural developments with growing up. A short haircut has replaced the wild locks and helmet he wore in last year's NAB Cup. He's got taller - he now stands 185cm - and has a better grip on living an independent lifestyle.

Bugg shares an apartment with teammate Tim Golds at Breakfast Point, a gated community 40 minutes out of Sydney's CBD scattered with palm trees, pools and Giants personnel. Bugg and Golds divide cooking, cleaning and domestic duties, and anything else that pops up. "It's a bit different," he says. "There's a lot more responsibility on yourself."

Bugg also has a greater understanding of the demands on an elite footballer. After watching Gold Coast last season, Bugg and his teammates enter 2012 aware of this year's challenges while still optimistic of its possibilities.

"We're just looking to stick together this year," he says. "Because there's a lot of kids wanting to get a game, I think we'll be competitive."

As for his own part in that picture, Bugg remains hopeful but unsure. His pre-season has been solid. After having surgery on both hips late last year he returned to full training in January and ran second in the club's three-kilometre time trial. Now it's a matter of waiting to see what happens.

"I'm a bit nervous but I'm really excited to see what's in store for the year," Bugg says. "I don't think any of us know what it is yet and that's the most exciting thing."