It might not have been the final result Guy McKenna was hoping for, but Timmy Sumner showed his senior coach there was plenty to look forward to from the South Australian teenager.

The 18-year-old didn’t look out of depth in his debut performance under the bright lights at Simonds Stadium, providing a creative flair from the forward pocket to finish with ten disposals and three marks for the evening.

While the fast pace and high intensity game may have caught the agile utility off-guard, it didn’t take long for Sumner to adjust to the tempo of the match as the contest unfolded.

“Yeah it was pretty quick and intense – a lot quicker than anything you experience in the NEAFL but I kept up pretty well,” Sumner said.

It was a battle of two worlds at times for the emerging youngster, telling goldcoastfc.com.au he had to continually remind himself that there was no chance for error when going up against one of the competition’s premiership favourites.

“The hardest part was probably learning all the structures and ensuring that you’re in the right spots at the right time,” he said.

“You can’t go slacking off – you have to be in the right positions.”

After talking with fellow team mates David Swallow and Aaron Hall in the change rooms before the first bounce, Sumner was assured the only way to please McKenna and his coaching staff was to play the only way he knew how – attack the contested football.

“I spoke to David Swallow and Aaron Hall before the game and they said to just take it on,” Sumner said.

“So once I got the first mark I was able to build up a lot more confidence and then try and take the game on.”

While most could forgive a debutant to fall under the expectations of playing against Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie and Corey Enright, Sumner showed he was more than capable of holding his own against Geelong’s premiership trio.

And although he hasn’t yet had a chance to review his first AFL appearance with McKenna and forwards coach Mark Riley, Sumner was pleased to have made a contribution for his team.

“I haven’t had a chance to chat with Bluey (McKenna) yet, but he was pretty happy with my efforts all over the game so hopefully I can build on my performance against the Kangaroos this weekend.”