Gold Coast’s Josh Glenn preparing for AFL life after he thought dream was over

THE distance between Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium and Elizabeth Football Club is more than 2000km.

THE distance between Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium and Elizabeth Football Club is more than 2000km.

It is how far Josh Glenn has come to realise his AFL dream.

Just three years ago, the Suns midfielder was playing division four amateur football for Elizabeth Eagles.

He had quit Central District’s under-18s after falling out of love with the sport and the AFL seemed a world away.

“My heart wasn’t really in the game,” Glenn, 21, recalls.

“I just wanted to play with my mates.” His stint in senior amateur ranks only lasted one season. Invited to return to Central’s 2012/13 pre-season training, he went on to shine at league level thanks to a pinpoint kick and impressive endurance. He raised eyebrows when he opted not to nominate for the 2013 draft in favour of another year at Central.

But he says that has prepared him for the AFL’s bigger bodies and the maturity needed to be a full-time footballer.

Gold Coast rookie-listed him in December. Now, fresh from his debut last week, he is preparing to take on Adelaide at Metricon Stadium today.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling knowing that I’ve come a long way,” he says.

“It makes me really happy that I made the decision I made to go back out to Central District and have a crack. But just because I’ve played one game, doesn’t mean I’ll take my foot off the pedal.”

Glenn forced his way into the Suns side to play Brisbane after three reserves games. It was an eye-catching debut.

Playing on a wing and across half-forward, he collected 21 disposals as Gold Coast notched its first win of the season, by 64 points.

“Early on I was pretty nervous, but as soon as the siren went I knew there was a job to do,” he said, a fact proven by Glenn kicking the game’s first goal.

“The team got around me and it started off our day.

“We were hungry for a win and we worked hard for it.”