By Michael Whiting
When Joel Wilkinson was growing up he had to sneak around to watch the AFL, but on Saturday the Gold Coast-raised 19-year-old will have nowhere to hide as he makes his debut for the GC SUNS against the Western Bulldogs.
Wilkinson is one of five changes to the GC SUNS outfit that suffered a 71-point loss to Hawthorn last week, with fellow youngster Hayden Jolly also to debut.
As touted earlier in the week by coach Guy McKenna, Zac Smith and David Swallow will return from ankle injuries, while Charlie Dixon has been reinstated for the match at Metricon Stadium after good form in the reserves.
Trent McKenzie, Daniel Harris, Daniel Gorringe, Sam Day and Rex Liddy have all missed out.
For Wilkinson it caps an incredible rise in the code he only started playing three years ago.
"It's a surreal feeling," he said after a recovery session at Kurrawa Beach on Thursday.
"To have grown up on the coast … three years ago I wouldn't have thought I'd be playing an AFL game on the coast in a new stadium, so it's the most excited I've ever felt.
"I probably would have been thinking about playing cricket for Australia as you do, wearing the baggy green, but I'm loving it. It's the best feeling to represent your club."
Wilkinson attended rugby league nursery Palm Beach Currumbin High School but once taking to AFL, adapted quickly.
The running defender captained Queensland at the under-18 national championships last year and was snapped up by the Suns as a Queensland zone selection.
"It's the best feeling of my life so far. Growing up, AFL wasn't really spoken of," he said.
"I hid it from my family if I watched it on tv. My school was a rugby league school but I'm just over the moon. It's a great area and growing up here I can't complain."
Wilkinson will be joined by Adelaide-raised Jolly on debut.
Jolly, 19, joined the GC SUNS from Glenelg as an underage priority selection and has been biding his time in reserves.
The 184cm, 83kg midfielder said having to wait a bit longer than some of the club's other first-year players had been a double edged sword.
"I guess it's been motivating and a little bit hard," he said.
"I've seen my mates play that I've wanted to play, so I guess it's motivated me to work hard on the things Bluey (McKenna) has told me to. He's been trying to make me take on the game a bit more rather than play safe.
"I'm very excited, it's something you dream of as a little kid, so to play for the Gold Coast SUNS is a real privilege and I'm really looking forward to playing on Saturday."
