When Kieren Jack took to the field on Saturday night there were several people watching with enormous pride – family, friends and his first AFL coach.

Despite making his senior debut, the 19-year-old held his nerve against the fired-up Kangaroos and managed 12 disposals.

Three of those touches led to six-pointers in the fourth quarter (third, fourth and sixth goal) and brought the Swans back to within four points before the Kangaroos booted two late goals to seal victory.

He showed, on the biggest stage, the same qualities that brought him into the sport.

Back in the mid-90s Kieren appeared set to follow in the footsteps of his famous Rugby League father.

Garry Jack was one of the all-time great Rugby League fullbacks having had a stellar career playing for the Wests Magpies, Balmain Tigers, New South Wales and Australia – not to mention winning the 1987 Golden Boot Award for finest player in the world - and Kieren was enjoying his league on the weekend.

Then a friend altered his future after noticing some stand-out qualities on the school ground.

His first AFL coach, Bernie Ervin, remembers how it all began.

“West Pennant Hill Primary School had never had a footy team and I was one of the coaches at a local footy team (West Brook)," Ervin told sydneyswans.com.au

“My son was going to the same school as Kieren and between my son Daniel and a couple of his mates they put together a team to contest the Paul Kelly Cup which I coached.

“They knew Kieren pretty well because he was quite a speedy little character and they knew from all the school ground activity that he would be a good acquisition in the team so they recruited him.

“He played in the Paul Kelly Cup in the first ever team and we won that year (1998) and in fact they won it again the second year after I had moved back (to Melbourne).

“He was such a tenacious little fella - he just wanted the ball and he always got the ball, he was never afraid to go in and find the football whereas some of the kids, particularly some of the soccer kids, would be holding back waiting for the ball to come to them.

“Kieren wanted to get the football and do something with it, he was very enthusiastic.”

The Swans currently have numerous local talent in the team – Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Davis, Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Paul Bevan – but Ervin believes Jack’s elevation and subsequent debut gives the Club an additional Sydney component.

“It is great to have a Rugby League son playing our code and also being a Sydney born and bred player and making it. There have been a couple of other boys like McVeigh but given Kieren had that Rugby League background it is special,” he said.

“His dad wanted him to play Rugby League but the family was kind enough to let him play Saturday in AFL and Sunday in Rugby League of which Kieren then made his own choice over time, so his parents really need to be congratulated for withstanding plenty of peer and public expectation.”

While Ervin couldn’t be at Telstra Dome on the weekend for family reasons he couldn’t be happier with the result.

“My wife and I have just been overseas for five weeks and the first thing I saw when I opened the paper was that he had been elevated and I was so excited and we were talking about it all week wondering whether he was going to get a game.

“It was quite special as when I went to New South Wales I was told the kids were not developing enough in the local competition, so it is really great to see someone develop the skills and not only be tenacious and want to play the game of footy but also to be able to equip himself very well at the highest level is an outstanding achievement.

“I thought for a first game, coming up with 12 possessions was quite special particularly as it only came in half a game of footy. On his performance I hope he will be given another opportunity next week."

The final result may not have made it a game to remember for Kieren, but for those who have watched him develop from a mere hopeful to a senior player it was truly a night to remember.