JOSH Hall always wondered how he'd feel if his decision to have a go at footy had stalled at the time the Aussie Olympic team flew out for London.
Now he doesn't have to worry.
The Townsville high jumper saw his very first AFL game twelve months ago when the SUNS defeated the Tigers in Cairns, on Saturday he will make his debut against the very same opposition at Cazaly's.
Hall, a fast tracked graduate of the GC SUNS Talent Academy, said he has never regretted his decision to walk away from a high jump career when he was just 4cm under an Olympic A qualifying jump and a very real chance of making it to London.
But he admits the questions may have surfaced if his progress in footy hadn't been so swift.
I haven't been thinking about it, when I made the decision I told myself that's it, it is footy and footy only, he said.
"But now that London is coming up it could work its way into the back of your mind a little and you could be wondering, I could have been there.
Hall's AFL journey to date has been remarkable, perhaps even eclipsing that of fellow code-hoppers Karmichael Hunt and Zac Smith.
He was studying at James Cook University at Townsville and needed to clock up some practical hours so he contacted the local footy club to see if they needed any help with their strength and conditioning program.
Someone saw him kicking a ball around and contacted the AFL's man in North Queensland Peter Young who had one look at the 197cm athlete and quickly alerted the SUNS that there was a potential player sitting in their recruitment zone who might be open to a code switch.
He played a couple of games last year in among his high jump commitments and was invited down to play as a top up for the SUNS' NEAFL side.
At the end of the season he was drafted with less games under his belt than the six schoolboy outings Hunt featured in for Churchie.
"I guess I could put that over him,'' he said.
Karmichael has been a very big help actually, as has Zac Smith and Josh Fraser, they've coached me a bit and really helped me with my development
He has played all over the ground in the NEAFL this year to teach him the game but looks most likely to be a key forward and will line-up in attack on Saturday.
