The path back to your best is simple - be better than you were yesterday.
For key forward Tom Sims, getting better one day at a time has been his focus as he looks to return from injury in preparation for a big 2026 campaign.
Unfortunately, Sims sustained an ulnar ligament injury in Richmond’s Round 20 VFL game against Sandringham last year, cutting his debut season short. Additionally, after a routine medical scan, results showed a navicular stress fracture in his right foot.
With a long road of rehab ahead of him, the 19-year-old began to shift his mindset towards maximising his potential and returning to football as quickly as possible.
“It was a bit of a crazy couple of weeks,” Sims admitted.
“I couldn’t really have a nice off-season. I spoke to Ivan Maric (Player Development Coach) and Jacqui Hilton (Player Development Manager) about what mindset I’ll need to have.
“I was trapped at home, I couldn’t drive, and I couldn’t even walk. I started feeling guilty that I wasn’t doing enough because all I could do was upper body or swimming.
“I felt like I wasn’t doing enough because I wasn’t living the lifestyle I was a month ago.
“But then I shifted that mindset and thought, well, if I can’t be the best on the field, I’m going to be the best in the pool, or I’m going to be the best on the bike, or I’m going to be the best in cross training.
“That helped push me, thinking that they (his teammates) are out there dying because of running, well, I’m going to be in the gym dying because I can’t pedal enough or I can’t keep swimming, so that was my mindset.”
Before his injury setback, the 28th overall pick in the 2024 AFL Draft demonstrated why he belonged at the elite level, making an immediate impact in his debut game during the Round 9 victory against West Coast, finishing the contest with six disposals, three tackles and a goal.
Navigating his way within a young forward line brigade, Sims credited Tiger veteran Tom Lynch for imparting invaluable knowledge to him in his first season.
“When I first got here, I was like ok, he is definitely going to be someone who I have to ask and be curious with him,” Sims said of Lynch.
“He has kicked 400 or 500 goals, so it was good to have him. I lived with him for a couple of weeks when I got drafted, and it was good to see his life away from footy as well.
“He would say, ‘I’m going to pilates, do you want to come?’ and I would say, 'yeah'...even when you are outside of training, you are still preparing.
“On the track, he tries to teach us stuff, even just playing against him in aerial contests, he will beat you, but he will teach you how he did it, so it’s good to see how he dissects what happens on the field, and for us forwards, it definitely helps.”
Sims lauded fellow forwards Harry Armstrong and Jonty Faull for consistently driving one another to improve as they prepare for their second season at the Swinburne Centre.
The trio of Tigers will look to become the key pillars of the forward line for years to come, a challenge Sims embraces.
“All of us have our own strengths and flair, and we are all learning together,” Sims said.
“At the end of the day, we are all just trying to learn, and that will probably be the Richmond forward line for the next couple of years.
“We just have to try and fast track each other, and soon enough, hopefully, all three of us will be on together at the same time, kicking snags and assisting each other.”
Standing at 199cm tall, Sims found success as a swing ruckman in support of captain Toby Nankervis, stepping up at stoppages to compete around the ground.
Rucking was an attribute he developed in his junior career, with the hope that it would put him on notice and improve his chances of getting picked up in the draft.
“Coming into my 18s season, no one really knew who I was,” Sims said.
“Once I made Vic Metro, I was playing with all these people who were going to get drafted, and I thought I could be one of them.
“Toward the end of that season, I played a new role by playing more ruck to deepen my bag. It was good to show recruiters that I could play ruck and forward, which was a point of difference in my draft.
“Last year I did a bit of rucking to give Nank a chop out, and I was playing against big men, so it was hard for me to try and match them physically, but I’ve got Samson Ryan, I’ve got Ollie Hayes-Brown, and I’ve got Nank, and they are all good resources.
“Having that versatility sets me apart from most other tall keys, and if I try to add as many strings to my bow as I can, it will help me play more games and help us win more games.”
Away from his rigorous rehabilitation, Sims enjoys unwinding by creating TikTok’s, keeping up with trends that offer plenty of entertainment for his following.
“I sort of just post when I feel like it,” Sims said.
“If I see a trend, I’ll be like, I’ll do that, and I do have a few in mind."
With a second season at Punt Road rapidly approaching, the energetic forward has a clear objective for 2026: to return to the park alongside his teammates and play better than ever.
“I’ll have a chat with Newy (Chris Newman), Livo (Tim Livingstone), and Ooze (Adem Yze) about what is next when I’m back on the field and what role I will be playing,” Sims said.
“It’s a new team every year, so it’s a bit unpredictable, but I’ll just try and go out there and start running and start being in drills, and go as intense as I can when I do go out there.”
