AS the resident Osteopath & Physiotherapist on the ATP World Tour of Men’s Professional Tennis, Luke Fuller commits his sizeable energies to the welfare of the game’s finest, from Novak Djokovic down.

And while it’s true that the sport has taken the Maryborough-born Toronto-based 40 year-old around the globe, home is where the heart is and for him it’s Carlton.

Treating Nadal on-court at the Queen's Club Championships, London. 

Fuller’s precious club connection can be sourced to his hometown of Maryborough on the Pyrenees Highway. With the great John Nicholls first plying his football craft at Maryborough, there was no way known any team other than Carlton would be the family club of choice and as Fuller himself added, “my father also played at Maryborough with the former Carlton footballer Garry Higgins”.

Born in 1978, Fuller’s earliest childhood memories involve watching Wayne Johnston tearing opposition teams apart ad nauseum. As a Year 11 student, he fronted up to Princes Park to interview Stephen Silvagni for an article for his school newsletter “and I was very grateful to ‘Sos’ for being so giving of his time”.

With son Noah and Andy Murray.

“In the old days, wearing the No.7 on my back,  I followed my father down to Princes Park to watch the Carlton teams play. That’s something I’m looking forward to doing with my son when I eventually return from Toronto,” Fuller said.

“Even though my kids (Noah, 5 and Siena, 3) are half-Canadian they’re full-on Carlton supporters and they’re both running around with their Blues caps on. My little guy has just joined up as a junior member and he’s pretty happy with his pencil case and his connection with ‘Charlie’s Crew’.

“Together we watch the games on the net each week, but because we live in Toronto Carlton is probably what we miss most.”

At the Australian Open this year with wife Cynthia, son Noah and daughter Siena.

For a time Fuller himself chased the leather for EDFL outfit Aberfeldie and later University Blacks in the Amateurs, but by his own admission was never going to make the cut as AFL competitor.

It was during his time with Blacks that Fuller majored in anatomy. He later completed his masters in Osteopathy at Victoria University, then relocated to Sydney to complete a masters in Physiotherapy. Ultimately, when a rare opportunity presented itself in tennis, Fuller seized the moment “and this is my tenth year on the ATP World Tour”.

Luke with Grigor Dmitrov following his win at the Brisbane International. 

Back in town for the Brisbane and Sydney Internationals and the Australian Open (with Indian Wells and Wimbledon to follow), Fuller, it’s fair to say, is a citizen of the world in managing players’ aches and pains from tournament to tournament.

When not travelling with the tennis tour, he manages his own practice, Ace Sports Clinic, in Toronto.  He hopes to relocate to Melbourne with his Canadian-born wife and his two junior Blues in the future.

“We’ll see what the future holds, but whatever happens I’m really looking forward to being there again to see the Carlton players play,” said Fuller, who by the way fancies Rafael Nadal for this year’s Open title.

“I’ve really been happy with the message coming out of Carlton which is both consistent and positive. The transparency with the Members has also improved and from what I’ve seen from afar I’m really happy with the direction.”