Kyle Martin is playing AFL for Collingwood just two years after starring for Noble Park

IT took a little prodding, or as Kyle Martin described it, shoving, for this suburban footballer to have a crack.

upgraded rookie

IT took a little prodding, or as Kyle Martin described it, shoving, for this suburban footballer to have a crack.

He was winning flags - and a couple of best and fairests - with his mates at Noble Park, "just happy to cruise along".

"I wasn't really putting in the work," Martin, 22, said this week. "I had to have a good hard look at it and, if I was going to make it, really knuckle down."

So last year Martin, who played TAC Cup for Sandringham and represented Vic Metro in 2008 but was overlooked in the draft, moved to VFL club Frankston.

He won the Dolphins' B&F as a goalkicking midfielder and caught the eye of Collingwood, scoring a spot on the Magpies' rookie list in 2012.

After starring for the Magpies' seconds and kicking six goals against Essendon this season, Martin couldn't be ignored. He made his AFL debut in the Round 10 win over Brisbane Lions after being elevated to the senior list.

"Every league that he's played in and every step along his journey he's been able to take the next step and excel," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said.

"(He's) a very good offensive player, good ball-winner, great tackler, which we rate.

"It's exciting times for us and for our supporters to be able see these young players come through, it's the next evolution of this footy club."

Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty said he could talk about his former star all day.

"This might sound a bit harsh, but he was probably in a bit of a comfort zone with us," Fogarty said.

"We said, 'Mate, you've won two premierships, you've won two senior best-and-fairests, you've been a runner-up in the league medal, it's time to go'."

Martin, a plumber who worked beside his dad, John, before being picked up by the Magpies, said he wouldn't change the path that led him to Collingwood.

"People like my dad and Mick and my friends had a lot of belief in me," Martin said. "It came to a point where they were all shoving me at once.

"I am relieved. I look back at it and I'm grateful for what I went through with the Noble Park footy club and if I had my time again I would still do that.

"That gave me the chance to find my passion and the want to play AFL football and bring it back.

"There was a burning desire inside me at the end of that time to get out there and really give it a crack."

The move to Frankston was initially tough for Martin - his first training session had him second-guessing the decision.

"It took me a while to get my head around the whole professionalism of the VFL, how extreme it was," he said.

"It's a bit daunting going down to a new club, especially when you leave your local club where you've been all your life.

"I slowly grew into it and never looked back, really."

His arrival at Collingwood was made slightly less scary by the fact most of the team was on camp in Utah.

Instead of 46 new faces, it was just a few, including captain Nick Maxwell and midfielder Dale Thomas.

There was also a familiar face - Martin played VFL representative footy with fellow rookie Sam Dwyer.

"It is daunting, but everyone knows they're here for a reason," he said.

"You put it aside and you work your a--- off and get the best out of yourself."

His mate, Western Bulldog Tory Dickson, was a good example to Martin.

Dickson played with Martin at Noble Park in 2010 and was recruited from VFL side Bendigo to the Bulldogs in the 2011 national draft.

"Seeing Tory (go to the Bulldogs) definitely was a bit of an eye-opener, in showing me that anything's possible," Martin said.

"He went to VFL, then went to Noble Park, then went to VFL again to give it another try."

He's still close with his friends from Noble Park, too, blokes such as Fogarty and premiership teammate George Angelopoulos.

Angelopoulos couldn't be happier for his friend.

"He should have been there a long time ago," he said.

"Always through juniors he was the one people used to say, 'Kyle's a gun, Kyle will get drafted', and then when he didn't he came to Noble. In his first year he won our best and fairest as an 18-year-old.

"He definitely should have been there a long time ago and I was calling for it, so it was good to see it happen."

Martin is happy he's given his mate - a mad Pies fan - something to cheer about.

"I've taken him to a few games. I'm always on the edge of my chair wondering what he's going to say next," Martin said, laughing.

"He's a passionate Collingwood supporter, he's really enjoying the fact I'm here."