Gold Coast recruit Ben Jepson never gave up hope he could live out his dream as an AFL player, working his way to the top after years at the lower level.
The clean half-back flanker had a small role for the Oakleigh Chargers in his draft year, featuring alongside close mates and new teammates Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson at the junior level.
After seeing the Suns duo go Pick 1 and 2 in the 2019 Draft respectively, Jepson soon took a path that would eventually have him reunite with his now-teammates over five years later.
The 23-year-old featured in the VAFA for Old Carey before finding his feet with VFL club Coburg, eventually breaking through as a role player for the Lions by 2022.
A year later he would enjoy a breakout season for the standalone club, taking out best and fairest honours before gaining interest from VFL newcomers Southport.
A move north would soon prove fruitful, with Jepson selected to represent the VFL against the SANFL's rep side in April last year before eventually earning a spot in the competition's Team of the Year.
His Queensland links had him right under the nose of the Suns in 2024, with Jepson's best outing of the season - a 40-disposal, 11-mark performance - coming against Gold Coast's VFL side.
An invite to train with the Suns this summer got Jepson a step closer to reaching the top flight, with his hopes reaching reality last week.
"It's been a long time coming, playing sort of semi-professionally for a few years now it's and always been a dream to play AFL," Jepson said on Monday.
"Hopefully I get that chance this year with the Suns, but I'm really grateful they've given me a crack.
"Learning as much as I can and putting that into action on the field (is the goal), see how I go and hopefully get a first AFL game.
"I never really doubted it completely, I still wanted to play at the highest level I could.
"Being at Coburg first and then Southport as well, they sort of gave me the opportunity to play against elite players and just continued to develop me as a player.ย Through that, the opportunity arose and I just took it.
"It's obviously different in the VFL because you're training after work and it's less demand, (training) only two or three times a week. When you are there it's still very professional.
"Southport last year gave me that opportunity and on game day as well it's pretty much playing against AFL players, so I just backed myself in."
Following three days with the Suns in Byron Bay as part of the club's pre-season camp - where he was told he had landed an AFL list spot - Jepson has his sights set on the upcoming pre-season contests against Collingwood, Brisbane and Sydney later this month.
The Suns will host Essendon on Saturday, March 8 as part of the Opening Round fixture before heading to Perth to face West Coast at Optus Stadium for Round 1.