ON WEDNESDAY, Daniel Lloyd's AFL dream came true when was told he'd become Greater Western Sydney's 77th debutant, but the young father was quickly snapped back to reality.
Just 24 hours after coach Leon Cameron announced his selection for this week's clash with Collingwood in front of his proud teammates, a moment Lloyd said is one "he'll never forget", his three and a half year-old son Parker took a tumble that resulted in a small fracture, which left his tiny leg in a cast.
Lloyd, who married his long term partner of eight years, Crystal, in the off-season, told AFL.com.au that his son's accident quickly pulled his head out of the clouds.
"You see life in a different perspective when you have kids and it definitely keeps you grounded that’s for sure," he said.
The 25-year-old is a great footy story after he was plucked from the Killarney Bombers on the New South Wales central coast with selection 26 at the 2015 NAB AFL rookie draft.
GWS assistant coach Mark McVeigh is the man who spotted Lloyd – who had previously spent four years on a scholarship with the Western Bulldogs - kicking bags of goals two years earlier, and he was one of the first to congratulate Lloyd on his senior debut.
"It was a pretty good moment shaking his hand when he said congratulations because I owe him a lot, without him I wouldn't have been picked up," Lloyd said.
"He's a great mentor and a great person, he's a special bloke."
Lloyd has had to work overtime to get a crack at league footy on one the League's most talented lists, but after being promoted from the rookie list in March, the medium-sized goalkicker has relished a switch to the midfield in the NEAFL this year, due to a host of injuries at the Giants.
He's averaged 31.25 possessions in four games, and after being extremely close to senior selection over the past month, Lloyd sealed his elevation with 37 touches and two goals against Gold Coast last week.
Those who have been at Spotless Stadium early enough to watch the reserves over the past two seasons would have noticed a vocal band of Lloyd supporters in the stands, made up of family, friends, and ex-teammates, and he has no doubt they'll be there when GWS take on the Pies on Saturday.
"It's pretty handy that they're only an hour and a half up the freeway so I dare say there'll be a fair crew coming down this weekend," he said.
"They get a bus organised and get pretty rowdy, so I'm sure they'll be there in full force.
"I might limit them to a couple of beers on the bus so they actually remember what's going on, but it's pretty special that they can come and watch my first AFL game."
