Weekly selection meetings at AFL clubs are a time of mixed emotions. They mean different things to different players, but invariably each week some players are disappointed.

Just ask Gold Coast SUNS youngster Henry Schade.

In one way, shape or form Schade has seen first-hand no less than 70 SUNS teams picked since he joined the club via the 2011 AFL National Draft.

Six times he’s been named as an emergency - twice in 2012, twice in 2014, and in Rounds 3-4 this year – but not once has he been included in the match 22. Until last night.

Schade, a 21-year-old tall defender from North Hobart, was named in the SUNS’ Round 5 side to take on the Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

He learned of this long-awaited good news in the most unlikely fashion when coach Rodney Eade dropped it unexpectedly on the playing group in the review meeting on Tiesday.

At a time when the mood of most players was on the negative side of sombre after a very poor loss to the GWS Giants last weekend, Schade couldn’t help but smile as he emerged from the meeting. At last he was to get his chance.

It’s been an unusual journey that would have seemed even more excruciating to Schade when Adam Saad, drafted as a rookie ahead of the 2015 season, went straight into the senior side in Round 1 and is still there.

Jarrod Garlett and Touk Miller also played in the seniors this year without having played in the reserves.

The ultra patient Schade, drafted by the SUNS with their first “live” selection in the 2011 National Draft at No.24, was the 57th player listed by the club (including rookies).

But after a wait that will seem like an eternity to him he’ll be the 73rd player to represent the club at AFL level when he runs out for QClash 9 on Saturday.

In a remarkable statistic that identifies the fine line that AFL players often walk, Schade has seen 33 players who were at the club prior to his arrival leave since then. And that despite not playing a senior game.

No less than 33 of the 53 players on the SUNS list ahead of Schade in their 2011 debut season have gone.

Six of them - Lewis Moss, Jack Stanlake, Jack Stanley, Jake Crawford, Roland AhChee and cricketer Alex Keath – did not play an AFL game.

Marc Lock was a member of the club’s very first AFL side but never played again.

And another 16 originals didn’t exceed a baker’s dozen - Nathan Ablett (2), Joel Tippett (2), Piers Flanagan (3), Joey Daye (4), Rex Liddy (4), Michael Coad (6), Jacob Gillbee (6), Hayden Jolly (6), Alik Magin (8), Jeremy Taylor (9), Jeremy Taylor (10), Daniel Harris (11),Tom Hickey (12), Liam Patrick (13), Josh Toy (13) and Nathan Krakouer (13).

Others who were at the club when Schade arrived in November 2011 but are no longer on the playing list are NEAFL coach Josh Fraser (18 games), Jack Hutchins (19), Josh Caddy (24), Sam Iles (26), Joel Wilkinson (26), Nathan Bock (27), Mav Weller (32), Karmichael Hunt (44), Campbell Brown (46) and Jared Brennan (54).

In fact it would have been quicker to list the 19 players who remain from the group that Schade joined – Gary Ablett, Harley Bennell, Sam Day, Charlie Dixon, Daniel Gorringe, Tom Lynch, Brandon Matera, Steven May, Trent McKenzie, Tom Nicholls, Dion Prestia, Michael Rischitelli, Luke Russell, Matt Shaw, Zac Smith, Danny Stanley, David Swallow, Seb Tape and Rory Thompson.

Schade’s senior selection will deny him a milestone he’d happily never reach – his 50th NEAFL game.

Having waited so patiently for his opportunity at senior level, Schade last week topped the previous club record for reserves games set by Gillbee at 48. Jackson Allen (45) and Josh Hall (40) are next on the list of games at the secondary level.

Schade will be the fifth SUNS player to debut in a QClash, following Sam Day, Joey Day and Lynch in the first game between the Queensland rivals in 2011, and Louis Herbert in QClash 8 last year.

Alongside mature-aged rookie Josh Glenn, he will be the first SUNS debutant in a QClash at Metricon Stadium.

Also, he’ll be the eighth Tasmanian to play for the SUNS, joining Russell (56 games), Aaron Hall (48),Weller (32) Iles (26), Kolodjashnij (22), Lonergan (13) and Gilbee (6), and the first from North Hobart.

And, having been allocated jumper #50 in his first season at the club in 2012, Schade will be the second player to wear jumper #20 behind Toy, who wore it in 2011-12 before it was passed on to the lanky Tasmanian in 2013.