GWS Giants Development coach and former AFL player Trent Dennis-Lane was forced to line up for an injury-hit GWS VFL side on Saturday.
Dennis-Lane, into a his second season as AFL and VFL development coach at GWS, played as a deep forward, kicking a team-high four goals, three coming in the last quarter as the Giants trimmed the margin under triple digits.
He spent parts of the game playing on premiership defender Lewis Melican.
With 13 players on the AFL injury list, just six AFL-listed squad members lined up in the Giants 78-point loss to Sydney, the club was forced to call on the depths of the VFL squad. The difference in standard between local footy in New South Wales and VFL also needed to be considered as the Giants determined whether to give an inexperienced youngster a crack or Dennis-Lane.
Also missing experienced VFL-listed trio Ryan Hebron, James Bell and Louie Montgomorie, a decision was made during the week to play Dennis-Lane for important on-field leadership.
While the last of Dennis-Lane's 29 games was in 2014, he has remained a dominant force at local level since around coaching commitments at local, Talent League and AFL level.
He has this year played five games for Manly-Warringah in the AFL Sydney competition, kicking 36 goals after 32 goals in nine games last year and time at Dingley, Bonbeach in suburban Melbourne competitions after playing the last of his VFL games for Sandringham in 2021.
The VFL side sits sixth on the ladder with a 9-6 record and will play Southport next Saturday.
