It all started near Kempsey on the NSW North Coast, in a little town called Hat Head, with Aiden Tolman coming a long way since those humble beginnings.
Tolman tomorrow night plays his 300th NRL game, becoming just the 43rd player in the history of the game to do so, with his career having kicked off at the Melbourne Storm, followed by 10 years and 222 games at the Bulldogs, and now to the Sharks where is a valued member of the Cronulla team.
Coaches and teammates alike speak of his will to win, work ethic and faultless preparation, of a selfless player who always put team before personal recognition.
In his detailed chat with Sharks media, Tolman spoke of his days at the Smithtown Tigers, his debut at the Storm in 2008, then Grand Final victory in 2009, his 10 seasons and two Grand Final appearances at the Bulldogs, before his switch to the Sharks ahead of the 2021 season.
Set to be cheered on at the game on Friday night by a large contingent of family and friends, many who will make the trip from in and around his home town of Kempsey, Tolman was also quick to redirect praise from himself to those to have helped him throughout his journey, explaining what he had managed to achieve wouldn’t have been possible without their support.
See below some statistics, highlights and details from Tolman’s 299-game career so far, and above a video chat ahead of his milestone match.
Aiden Tolman (Shark #543)
Born – 10 November, 1988 – Kempsey, NSW
Weight – 102kgs
Height – 183cm
Junior Club - Smithtown Tigers
Rep Honours - 2006 Australian Schoolboys – Junior Kangaroos
3 games for NSW Country
NRL Debut – Round 6, 2008, Storm v Raiders
Sharks Debut – Round 1, 2021, Sharks v Dragons
Career Highlights
Storm (2008-2010) - 53 NRL games
Bulldogs (2011-2020) – 222 games
Sharks (2021 – present) - 24 games
Three Grand Finals – Bulldogs (2012, 2014), Storm (2009)
