Champ39
Team Captain
Youngster stoked to get the call
Sarah Bieske
Geelong Advertiser
The hours leading up to Mathew Stokes' AFL debut were everything he expected.
Excitement, nerves, expectations, pressure, more excitement and more nerves.
It's a moment the Geelong draftee had spent his lifetime dreaming about, but never in his dreams did it end with the hollow feeling of defeat.
"It's definitely a case of mixed emotions,'' Stokes said after the Cats' 20-point loss to Richmond on Saturday.
"I'm just happy to finally get a chance at AFL level, but very, very disappointed to lose a game we really could have, and probably should have, won.''
The pocket rocket, just 178cm tall, launched his AFL career with 11 touches and five marks.
But it was his fierce attack on the ball and ability to find space that stood out.
The 21-year-old from the Northern Territory was an under-18 All-Australian player.
He spent two years playing senior footy with SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens before his time finally arrived, drafted by the Cats with pick 61, their final pick, last year.
A string of outstanding performances in the VFL was enough to earn the hard-nosed midfielder a call-up, becoming the first of the new crop of Geelong draft selections to make their debut.
A call on Friday afternoon confirmed his selection after veteran Peter Riccardi was withdrawn from the side.
Stokes said his debut had been worth the long wait, but conceded he would take it back in a second had Riccardi been fit to play.
"It's been a very long time coming, it was definitely worth waiting for. This week I was pretty lucky to get a game but I just really want to keep playing footy and do everything I can to stay here,'' he said.
"But if Ricco was in the team it might have been a different result because he's so experienced, so if I could take my first game back so that he could have played I would.''
Stokes has played along some of the game's big names in years gone by, among them Aaron Davey.
He was also in the same AIS Academy squad as Luke Ball, Nick Dal Santo and Luke Hodge.
He watched on in awe as Gary Ablett junior weaved his way out of trouble on Saturday.
Now he is determined to make his own mark on the game.
"I definitely earned my spot, I've been playing well in the VFL,'' Stokes said.
"I felt comfortable out there...I like to pride myself on having my head over the footy and tackling and just having a crack and now that I've had a chance I'd just love to keep playing.''
How sad is that, he would have taken his first game back so that Riccardi could have played and Geelong 'might' have won. That shows alot of team spirit I think.
He played well anyway I think.
Sarah Bieske
Geelong Advertiser
The hours leading up to Mathew Stokes' AFL debut were everything he expected.
Excitement, nerves, expectations, pressure, more excitement and more nerves.
It's a moment the Geelong draftee had spent his lifetime dreaming about, but never in his dreams did it end with the hollow feeling of defeat.
"It's definitely a case of mixed emotions,'' Stokes said after the Cats' 20-point loss to Richmond on Saturday.
"I'm just happy to finally get a chance at AFL level, but very, very disappointed to lose a game we really could have, and probably should have, won.''
The pocket rocket, just 178cm tall, launched his AFL career with 11 touches and five marks.
But it was his fierce attack on the ball and ability to find space that stood out.
The 21-year-old from the Northern Territory was an under-18 All-Australian player.
He spent two years playing senior footy with SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens before his time finally arrived, drafted by the Cats with pick 61, their final pick, last year.
A string of outstanding performances in the VFL was enough to earn the hard-nosed midfielder a call-up, becoming the first of the new crop of Geelong draft selections to make their debut.
A call on Friday afternoon confirmed his selection after veteran Peter Riccardi was withdrawn from the side.
Stokes said his debut had been worth the long wait, but conceded he would take it back in a second had Riccardi been fit to play.
"It's been a very long time coming, it was definitely worth waiting for. This week I was pretty lucky to get a game but I just really want to keep playing footy and do everything I can to stay here,'' he said.
"But if Ricco was in the team it might have been a different result because he's so experienced, so if I could take my first game back so that he could have played I would.''
Stokes has played along some of the game's big names in years gone by, among them Aaron Davey.
He was also in the same AIS Academy squad as Luke Ball, Nick Dal Santo and Luke Hodge.
He watched on in awe as Gary Ablett junior weaved his way out of trouble on Saturday.
Now he is determined to make his own mark on the game.
"I definitely earned my spot, I've been playing well in the VFL,'' Stokes said.
"I felt comfortable out there...I like to pride myself on having my head over the footy and tackling and just having a crack and now that I've had a chance I'd just love to keep playing.''
How sad is that, he would have taken his first game back so that Riccardi could have played and Geelong 'might' have won. That shows alot of team spirit I think.
He played well anyway I think.
He seems like a really nice genuine guy. Hope we get to see more of him in the snr's.