18-year-old Brayden Fiorini’s AFL debut will have a little extra meaning on Saturday night, with the Northern Knights product set to line up against the team he barracked for as a kid.

While Fiorini’s allegiances changed to the red and gold immediately after his first round selection to the Gold Coast in last year’s national draft, he told goldcoastfc.com.au he and his family were once ‘pretty die-hard’ Collingwood supporters.

However, for Fiorini, he is only after one result on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium – a SUNS victory.

“I suppose it has a little bit (of extra meaning), obviously barracking for them coming through,” Fiorini said.

“It’s just an honour and privilege to line up and should be good. Hopefully we get the win.”

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In an interesting fact, Fiorini’s boyhood idol was current Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, who will lead the Magpies into battle on Saturday.

Fiorini met the five-time All Australian in Santa Monica in 2011 when he was 13 with the pair sharing a photo together.

Five years on, they’ll now take to the same footy field together.

“I always watched ‘Pendles’ coming through, definitely the last sort of 10 years. Just tried to watch his game and what he does. A good player to watch,” he said.

“That was in America. Me and my family went there and saw Pendles walking past and just yelled out to him, had a chat for a little bit and obviously got that photo.

“Genuine bloke he was and had time to chat so it was good.”