After being overlooked in the 2012 AFL Draft, Sean Lemmens knows every game he musters under his first-year belt is just as important as the next. 

The young attacking defender has been one of the finds from last year’s draft class, having slipped to pick No. 27 before Scott Clayton read out his name in front of a national audience at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in November. 

Branded one of Gold Coast’s hardest trainers, his rise to AFL football has come as no surprise to those inside Gold Coast’s inner sanctum. 

He has featured in all three premiership rounds this season, and has shown no sign of slowing down, with his explosive pace and exciting line-breaking giving Guy McKenna plenty to smile about from the coaching box. 

“I suppose I’m not trying to count the games I play, but more so making the most of the games I do play,” Lemmens told goldcoastfc.com.au.

At this time last year, Sean Lemmens was playing for the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL seconds and trying to impress his way to the national draft through the Under-18 national championships. 

Amazingly, he had to wait until the final round of the SANFL season before making his state-league debut; staggering given his impressive performances in his last three AFL starts. 

Looking ahead though, Lemmens is facing his toughest top grade test against Hawthorn this week, with the Hawks in vintage form this season.

“It’s certainly a big game for us this weekend,” he said.

“We’re going in to it well prepared, have studied them as much as we can and also trained as well as we could have this week.

“It was a great feeling coming away with the win (against Brisbane) but we’re looking forward to this weekend.”

Much has been made of the two sides’ on-ball division, with the Hawks’ midfield supremely led by by the likes of Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis, while Cyril Rioli leads a dangerous group of small forwards, with the SUNS’ young gun a chance to line up on the nippy Hawk goalsneak..

While the inside ball will be fought fiercely, Lemmens is confident Gold Coast’s outside runners can punish the Hawks when they get a chance to spread. 

“I think we’ve got some midfielders that are great inside, but then we’ve got running midfielders that are just as a good, if not better, on the outside.

“So we’ll definitely look to make that an advantage for us this Saturday.”