He'd dreamed about this moment as a young fella. Sitting in the Manuka Oval stands watching the GWS Giants play.
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He'd hoped it would come sooner, but a pandemic put paid to any chance of that.
Now, Tom Green wants it to be the first step towards establishing himself as an AFL player.
The Canberra product returns to the Giants line-up to face the Melbourne Demons at Manuka on Sunday night.
It'll be the eighth AFL game of the 19-year-old's young career.
The COVID-19 virus meant he didn't get the chance to play on Manuka last year, with the Giants forced to cancel their usual three games per season in the ACT.
Finally, his time has come. Under the bright Manuka lights. In front of family and friends.
He's hoping for a big Canberra crowd - and it's on track to deliver with more than 10,000 fans expected to come through the gates.
"I'm really excited for it. I've played here for a few junior games, but I'm really excited to play here in front of the Giants fans," Green told The Canberra Times on Saturday.
"As the sign going around us says, 'Canberra is Giants territory' and every time the Giants play here it gets an awesome turnout.
"I'm really excited to play in front of my home crowd and see how it goes. Hopefully we can really get our season kick-started."
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
Next on Green's agenda - is cementing himself in a star-studded Giants midfield, where his job is a simple one. Win the football.
The contested possession machine has been in and out of the team since getting picked up in the 2019 AFL draft.
But as the young onballer gets used to the rigours of the AFL he's hoping to string a few games together this season.
"I'd love to nail down a position hopefully this year," Green said.
"It's been a little bit of just being a young mid in a pretty good midfield, and just learning some of the tricks of the trade.
"And improving things like my running patterns and all that stuff, and getting consistency around it which I spent a lot of last year doing."
When it comes to winning the footy, the Demons provide as good a test as any.
Green could find himself up against Christian Petracca and Todd Viney throughout the Canberra evening.
"My job will be just to win the footy. Go out and do what I do best, and that's get my hands on the football and give us first use - hopefully get it going forward inside," he said.
While many have written the Giants off, Green said that wasn't the case within the GWS camp.
They had a disappointing 2020 after making the grand final the year before.
It has many pundits predicting the closing of the fabled premiership window.
Especially after their winless start to the season - losing to St Kilda and Fremantle - but they return to a venue where they've won 10 of their past 12 games.
"It hasn't gone quite to plan so far and not exactly the start we wanted, but we've got great faith that we're still a fantastic team and we're not too far removed from making a grand final," Green said.
"There's certainly still the quality on our list and this weekend represents a great opportunity to get our season kickstarted."
AFL ROUND THREE
Sunday: GWS Giants v Melbourne Demons at Manuka Oval, 6.10pm.