AFL career
Pittonet was drafted by Hawthorn Football Club with pick 50 in 2014 AFL Draft from the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup, the first of only two ruckman drafted that day. A solidly built teenager when drafted, Hawthorn needed an additional ruckman after trading Luke Lowden to Adelaide. [1] He made his AFL debut against Geelong in Round 1, 2016 as a late change, [2] but never commanded a regular place in the senior team in five seasons with Hawthorn, managing only seven senior games over that time as a back-up ruckman to Ben McEvoy and Jonathon Ceglar. He played primarily for Box Hill, Hawthorn's VFL - affiliate, over that time, and was a dominant force in the ruck in the club's 2018 VFL grand final victory with 57 hitouts. [3]
At the end of 2019, with two ruckmen still ahead of him at Hawthorn, Pittonet requested a trade to the Carlton Football Club in search of greater senior opportunity; [4] [5] he was traded along with draft pick 61 in exchange for picks 54 and 63. [6] [7] [8] Pittonet was initially intended to be a back-up to veteran Matthew Kreuzer, [4] but after Kreuzer suffered a career-ending injury in Round 1, 2020, [9] he became the club's first choice ruckman, later forming a partnership with emerging ruckman Tom de Koning. Pittonet became well recognised as a high quality pure ruckman, and over multiple years, he recorded elite level numbers in hitouts to advantage and influence on clearances and stoppages; in contrast, a lack of mobility and weaker ball skills meant his influence around the ground and outside stoppages was below average. [10] [11] Pittonet signed a four-year contract extension with Carlton in 2023, securing his position at the club until 2027. [12]
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