By Michael Whiting
 

There were times this season when Jeremy Taylor wondered whether it was all worth it.

After suffering a groin injury in the NAB Cup that required surgery, the defender took 12 weeks of rehabilitation to get back on the field.

Week by week he saw his mates running out for their debut and wondered if he'd get back on the park in time to get his shot at AFL this season.

But after a strong six weeks in the reserves, the 19-year-old former Geelong Falcon will run onto Metricon Stadium on Saturday night against St Kilda for his first game.

He said the groin injury had been a frustration for the first half of the season.

"It was a bit annoying. I had a big pre-season and got through every session so to get injured in that NAB Cup game was a bit disappointing," he said.

"It's been a long road. A couple of weeks ago I thought it could be a wasted season but I stuck with it and here I am.

"Someone like Joel Wilkinson, who has made a lot of development over the year, to see him get an opportunity, it gave me even more motivation to get myself fit and ready to play AFL footy."

Ironically, Wilkinson was one of the players that has made way for Taylor this week.

Development coach Andy Lovell said he was rapt Taylor was making his debut.

"He had a major setback at the beginning of the year in the NAB Cup with his groin. He's got a huge work rate, he's a really professional young man and he's put the work in to recover," Lovell said.

"His form in the last month in the North East Australian Football League has been outstanding. He gets his opportunity and I think he'll take it."

But there'll be no easy introduction for Taylor, with Lovell hinting that he may spend time on St Kilda's small forward dynamo Stephen Milne.

It's a prospect that does not worry the 191cm, 83kg defender.

"I was thinking about that when he kicked his eight (goals against Adelaide) last week," Taylor said. "I was actually pretty excited for the challenge."