Tom Hawkins one week, Jeremy Cameron the next. Hardly two of the easiest tasks for someone with two senior games next to his name, but that is exactly what has been thrown at Jack Leslie in the opening two weeks of the 2015 NAB Challenge series.

In the absence of key defenders Steven May and Rory Thompson, Leslie has tackled two of the toughest tasks in football with aplomb. Admittedly, pre-season games in north Queensland and on the outskirts of western Sydney don’t generate premiership season like intensity. But, the quietly spoken backman has come through both tests with flying colours.

The confidence shown by the coaching staff to send Leslie to Hawkins and Cameron has helped instil an inner belief in the young Victorian. May and Thompson’s absence is far from ideal, but the silver lining in this situation is the invaluable development Leslie has received.

“I was pretty nervous last week, especially coming back first game, as well as playing on Tom Hawkins who’s obviously a pretty good player,” Leslie told SUNS TV.

“I was pretty nervous but it was just good the coaches believed in me, especially Dean Solomon, he believed in me and gave me the job to do.”

With Hawkins and Cameron being two very different key forwards, Leslie has had to learn and adapt different defensive methods to quell two of the games more devastating attacking weapons.

“I guess Cameron and Hawkins, they’re both different players, so just getting a broader range of skills and different techniques I’ve got to use to play on different players is probably the main thing I’ve learned,” Leslie said.

The Gippsland Power product debuted in round 22 last season, playing the final two games of the season to generate some momentum heading into his second pre-season at Metricon Stadium.

Leslie admits the brief taste of senior football against Essendon and the West Coast Eagles whet his appetite for the tough grind that is the reality of an AFL pre-season.

“I guess the two late games last year just gave me a real taste and hunger to play and that’s what I was set for over pre-season.

“I’ve had a good pre-season that I think and I’m just looking forward to hopefully pushing into the senior team this year.”