The ninth pick of the 2024 National Draft made his long-awaited debut on the weekend and there was certainly plenty of buzz. Leo Lombard, a heralded prospect of the Gold Coast Suns Academy, finally entered the AFL landscape after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the pre-season, delaying what appeared to be an inevitable instant debut for over three months.
Lombard ensured the football world saw him arrive on the big stage, despite being subbed off at three-quarter time, kicking a memorable goal in the second quarter with a celebration that will live long in the memory of Suns fans.
"Yeah, it was surreal, I've been dreaming of that as a kid," Lombard told media on Monday. "I didn't really take control over my emotion, I think my emotion took control of me. So yeah, it was good to share that with the team, myself and the crowd and family."
The blow of that pre-season injury was softened with the guidance of key role models at the club who have been supporting Lombard since his junior days. Lombard highlighted that his rehab would not have gone as smoothly without them.
"[The injury] was pretty tough, but having positive guys who've also done long-term injuries like Charlie Ballard helped me keep a positive mindset to get through it," Lombard said. "I talked to Charlie a fair bit during rehab. He's just a positive guy, so he's always making jokes or saying something funny while doing rehab, so that kept me upbeat."
Moreover, Lombard hasn't had to look too far for his inspiration in getting his AFL journey underway. Growing up as a Richmond and Gold Coast fan, he's now surrounded by people who played critical roles at both clubs in recent years, and it's helping him smoothly transition to the next level.
"[I barracked] for Richmond when Damien Hardwick was coaching there, and I love how Daniel Rioli plays. He was in a similar position there to what I am now, so I just look back to how he played back then and try to model that," Lombard said.
"I've always looked up to Will Graham [in the Academy], too, in the way he plays and seeing how well he's going. I try to live up to that expectation as well. I love watching him play, and I think I've learned so much from him."
Lombard and the Suns will now travel to Geelong for the first time since 2021, looking to solidify a spot in the top four after falling short to Fremantle last week.
