SCOTT Brown was three years old when he first kicked a footy - a moment with his dad that ignited a passion for Australian rules.
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It was not long after that Brown began to dream of playing in Australia's elite competition, and now that wish of a young boy is driving a talented Bathurst teenager.
Last weekend Brown laced up his boots for the Greater Western Sydney Giants to play in their NEAFL season opener against the Sydney Swans.
That team basically acts as the reserve grade side for the Giants outfit which plays in the AFL, with 16 of Brown's team-mates on the day actually listed in the GWS AFL squad.
It was a huge step in Brown's career and pursuit of playing elite football.
"It's always been a dream of mine to play really high level AFL when I'm older," Brown said.
"Previous to that game I had played a couple of practice games with them and they were really hard, so I learned a lot of things playing alongside those players.
"But as soon you step on the field, everything changes; there is something in the air that just changes. You feel very differently about the game.
"It's a little bit daunting but very exciting."
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Like many juniors in the region, Brown started out in Auskick. He then progressed through the junior ranks with the Bathurst Bushrangers and made his senior Central West AFL debut last season.
But 2018 also saw him enter the GWS program, and it was there Brown's skills and dedication put him on the path to his NEAFL experience.
"Basically it all started last year with the under 16s Giants Academy. I played a couple of games for the 16s development squad, which essentially secured me a spot in the 16s academy," the now 17-year-old said.
"From there I worked my arse off to play games throughout the under 16s academy, which then led to being selected in the under 18s academy this year and from there, I got selected to play in what is essentially the GWS reserve grade side.
"It's the best of the best, the people I play against, they are all fighting for a spot in their first side. I'm new to it all, I'm just a boy from the country who is playing that level of football."
Brown has travelled to and from Sydney every Tuesday over the past year for a two-hour training session, a big commitment for the teenager to make.
But lining up at centre half back for the Giants in their season-opening NEAFL match at the Sydney Showground made that effort worthwhile.
He played 97 percent of the match and while the Giants went down 15-19-109 to 12-8-80 to the Swans, it is still a moment Brown will long remember.
"All the work I've put into doing this, it felt like it had all paid off, I've taken a big step in my football career. It's a big change from the country," he said.
"I've never experienced anything like this before. The people I am used to playing against, they are all my age and my size, but when you step onto the field with the reserve grade side, everything is 10 times harder.
"They are all stronger than you, faster than you, bigger than you - it's a little bit scary in a sense to be playing against that.
"But there's definitely a sense that I've really achieved something, achieving this has just been magical."
Brown is hoping more magic moments lie in wait.