JARRYD Lyons has walked a road less travelled by AFL players, but on Saturday the Brisbane midfielder will chalk up a milestone on the ground at which he said he played the worst game of his career.
After focusing more on cricket as a junior, Lyons wasn't expecting to be drafted, but when Adelaide took him with the 61st pick of the 2010 draft, his footy path was set.
However, it hasn't been an easy journey.
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The 26-year-old didn't play a senior game in his first year and then followed it with three matches, nine and 10 in the ensuing three seasons.
Now, in his ninth season at his third club and under his 10th senior coach, Lyons will play his 100th AFL game on Saturday against the Western Bulldogs – at the oval where he played "the worst game of my career" at 12 months ago, Ballarat's Mars Stadium.
"It's been a tough road," Lyons said on Tuesday morning.
That was one thing I struggled with the most, early days, in my first two to three years, because I didn't play I was wondering whether I was good enough or not.
"Credit to Adelaide, they stuck with me for a long time and gave me that opportunity to show that I was good enough.
"I can't thank them enough for giving me the opportunity to play AFL."
In his time at the Crows, Lyons played under Neil Craig, Mark Bickley, Brenton Sanderson, Phil Walsh, Scott Camporeale and Don Pyke.
He moved to Gold Coast in 2017 to become a regular member of the Suns' midfield and was mentored by Rodney Eade, Dean Solomon and Stuart Dew before his off-season switch to Chris Fagan's Lions.
"I've been affected, in good ways, by all the clubs," he said.
"It's been a long journey, but I wouldn't have it any other way, if I can use that cliché.
"I've made a lot of different friends inside and outside footy, I've travelled to three different cities now."
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On Saturday he hopes to right a wrong from last year's 11-disposal performance for the Suns against the Bulldogs.
"I played at Ballarat last year and probably had the worst game of my career. I'm looking to make up for that.
"It's certainly a tough place to play. It could be snowy, it could be sunny, it could be hailing. We'll see how we go."
