In 2014 a rising football star from Lang Lang named Josh Patullo was displaying the sort of mettle required by AFL players.
At the age of 17 the then Gippsland Power player worked hard to recover from an ankle injury that kept him off the field for the first half of that season.
Patullo played junior footy for Lang Lang and Hallora, before joining Warragul’s Under 16s in 2012. After the injury with Gippsland Power in 2014, Josh went on to play well in 2015 before joining the Western Bulldogs VFL team. Last year he displayed exceptional form while playing for Sturt in the SANFL, where he was to continue this year until Covid-19 restrictions saw him return to Victoria.
Now Josh is back at Frankston YCW where he played in 2018 and, according to the Herald Sun/Frankston Leader, the 22 year old Gippslander seems to be attracting the attention of some VFL clubs.
When we wrote about Josh in 2014, Gippsland Power coach Leigh Brown described Josh as “a competitor. He really wants to compete.”
“With his injury he’s worked hard at rehab and is diligent at making sure he gets to his appointments. So he’s very organised and driven.”
Patullo’s current coach at Frankston YCW, Paul Goonan, said he has been outstanding on the training track since returning from South Australia.
“Unbelievably good,’’ Goonan said.
“He’s a 200cm marking forward that can swing into the ruck. And from all reports his second half of last season with Sturt was exceptional.
From August 2014: Patullo’s determined recovery bodes well for 2015
Gippsland Goodness 