FOR TWO days Jack Lukosius had to keep quiet. The talented 17-year-old had been told he was set to make his senior debut for Woodville-West Torrens in their preliminary final last year, but the club was keen to keep it quiet.  

He was named on the extended interchange bench, leaving opponents Sturt to wonder about whether the athletic key forward would be brought into the side for a spark.

"Everybody wanted to know if I was playing. I knew I was, but we kept it under wraps so I could avoid some of the lead-up stuff," Lukosius told AFL.com.au.

"We had our under-18s Grand Final earlier in the day, so the club let all those boys know I wouldn't be playing with them. But we didn't want Sturt to know, so there was a bit going on."

They knew soon enough. Lukosius had his first kick in the opening minute, and booted four goals (of his team's eight) in an outstanding display at Adelaide Oval that only heightened discussion around his status as one of the best players in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft pool.

"I had been training with the senior side all through the finals so I thought I was a chance to get a game, and they weren't kicking many goals towards the end of the season," he said.

"But I didn't get picked for the first final so I thought I'd missed out, but they decided to give me a chance and I took it with both hands and had a good crack.

"It was nerve-wracking but once I got out onto the field it was just a game of footy. It was good to have a crowd there, which made it feel a bit more special. It was a good experience and hopefully I can build on that this year."

Bigger things await Lukosius this year, as he starts his 2018 campaign viewed as a potential No.1 pick and one of a group of exciting taller prospects available to clubs.

His season last year not only included his brilliant SANFL debut, but also a promising NAB AFL Under-18 Championships for South Australia. His performances there included a three-goal effort against the Allies, when Lukosius outplayed Jarrod Brander, who was drafted to West Coast with pick 13.

Jack Lukosius gets down and dirty in the NAB AFL U18 championships. Picture: AFL Photos

It came on the back of no pre-season for the 194cm hard-running and strong-marking forward, who had a stress fracture in his back after a busy cricket season.

He opened the bowling for South Australia at the under-17 national carnival and also played second grade cricket locally before the injury stuck and he decided that football should take his full focus.

"When I got put in the AFL Academy it was when I realised footy could be an option for me. I have always played it for fun and tried to be the best I could but never took it seriously, but when I got put in this I learned that I could get something out of it. Since then the past couple of years I have taken it a lot more serious," he said.

Lukosius is with the NAB AFL Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where the group of more than 30 prospects are training at the IMG Academy.

With the guidance of former AFL stars Luke Power, Brad Johnson, Peter Sumich and Brent Harvey as coaches, Lukosius said the Academy's trip had already presented healthy challenges. 

"When you're training with a squad like this everyone is a good player, so you really push each other. I have played a little bit of senior footy and it's different there, but here everyone is the same age so it's good to test yourself," he said. 

"I'm trying to get as fit as I can, because running and my uncontested ball is probably what makes me a good player, so that's what I want to be elite at."

The signs are there that Lukosius is on his way to that. But with a more than promising bottom-aged year comes extra attention in his draft season, something Lukosius is prepared for. 

"This year might come with a bit more expectation and publicity and those type of things, I guess," he said.

"My goal is just to get drafted and I'm trying to improve myself as a player with this Academy and through the national champs, and hopefully play some league footy as well. I'll be playing for a few teams again, so I'll try to keep a level head about it."