By Michael Whiting

As a 17-year-old, Tasmanian Aaron Hall stood just 160cm tall and could see his AFL hopes slipping away.

Although short players had made the grade - Brownlow Medallist Tony Liberatore was just 163cm – Hall wasn't holding out any great hopes.

But over the next three years he shot up a remarkable 26cm, then came to prominence with some outstanding form in the Tasmanian State League for Hobart last season.

Now 21, Hall is settling into his second month of training on the Gold Coast after being selected by the GC SUNS in December's Pre-Season Draft.

He is a versatile half-forward/midfielder with electric pace and a strong overhead mark for his size (now 186cm).

From the outside he may have looked a bolter, but GC SUNS recruitment manager Scott Clayton said he was anything but.

"He's an exciting young talent," Clayton said.

"He's been a late developer in terms of his growth. He was quite small as a 17-year-old but had a big growth spurt in recent years. When we got through the national draft we were very keen to get him, which we did."

Hall is now living his dream, but admitted he thought the ship had sailed on his aspirations a couple of years ago.

"I did. I didn't grow until late, my father did the exact same thing and he got drafted by the Sydney Swans at 20 years of age," Hall said.

"I decided about a year-and-a-half ago to have a really good crack, so went over to Melbourne and did a pre-season with Werribee. But I had a couple of things I couldn't get sorted with university so I went back to Tasmania and did my studies, had a pretty good year back at home and I'm here today so it's all worked out pretty well.

"I pinch myself every morning I wake up.

"I got my opportunity at 21 - it's not the way that everyone else has come into the system. I've got a real good support base back home and up here with my host family, so I'm just enjoying every minute of it."

That support base at home includes his parents Dale and Naz.

Dale was drafted by the Swans in 1990 – the year Aaron was born – and returned home to Hobart with his Fijian-born wife a year later without playing a senior game.

Hall said when he first came to the Gold Coast he was told he would play as a small forward, but after displaying his versatility, could now play anywhere from half forward to half back.

"If I'm doing something wrong on the track, 'Gaz' (captain Gary Ablett) will pull me aside and tell me the exact technique and exact way to do it, so next time you're in that position you know what to do," he said.

"'Jarz' (Jared) Brennan, he doesn't really talk much off the field but when you're on the field in game situations, you can't shut him up and it's great for us trying to learn the game plan and making the big step to AFL football."

It's a step that a huge growth spurt, impressive talent and plenty of commitment have now made a reality for Hall.