NORTH Melbourne's Sam Gibson said most of the things players say after their first match of AFL football, but the way he said them - calm, reassured and without even a twinkle of a star in his eye - was more telling.
Gibson is 26; another of the mature-age rookies making his way into the expanded competition.
A former Box Hill Hawk, he was rookie-listed by Hawthorn in 2007 but never got a chance.
Now, five years later, the chance has finally arrived. It has come with another club and against a team that was not even in the League when Gibson had his first crack at the elite level, but it is one the running onballer is not about to let slip by.
"That's the plan (to play more senior footy). I've waited this long for it so I don’t plan on jumping out anytime soon." Gibson told AFL.com.au after the match against Gold Coast.
"[Coach Brad Scott] came to me during the week and said there was an opportunity to promote a rookie and it was going to be me.
"Now I just have to play my role every week".
Gibson was impressive during the third quarter, amassing the majority of his 18 possessions then.
It was also the term North played its most efficient football and established a gap the Suns were unable to breach.
"It took me a while to adjust to the pace [of AFL]", Gibson said.
"I felt once the heat went out of the match, I could run and play my natural game."
Scott said Gibson's situation had a resonance beyond just the player himself.
"He's a great story. He's a mature-age player who's had to work really hard for everything he's got and we were really pleased he could come into our side," Scott said.
"His story is a story of persistence and a really good one for our players.
"Sometimes you can work extremely hard and not get reward for your effort but if you persist long enough, eventually you'll get the rewards.
"We were really pleased to bring him in tonight and I thought he acquitted himself really well."
Despite the win and the praise of his coach, the night could have been better for the debutant.
A ball spilled Gibson's way during the second quarter. He snapped smartly but hit the post.
"I probably had more time than I thought," Gibson said of his first score at AFL level.
"Hopefully, there'll be another one to come."
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