Collingwood mid-season draft pick John Noble to make debut against West Coast after ‘whirlwind’ stint with club

From the SANFL to the AFL coalface, John Noble will be thrown into the pressure-cooker of the Grand Final rematch in Perth with the Pies’ mid-season draftee a confirmed starter against the Eagles.

John Noble is pushing his case for selection. Picture: Michael Klein

Eight weeks after playing his last SANFL game for West Adelaide, mid-season draftee John Noble will make his AFL debut on one of the biggest stages in Friday’s grand final rematch.

Noble’s first Collingwood appearance will come 57 days after he had 16 disposals in West Adelaide’s Round 7 loss to Sturt and 47 days after he was selected at pick No. 14 by the Magpies.

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“It’s been a whirlwind couple of months,” he said.

“If you told me that I’d be making my debut this time at the start of the year, I’d probably (have said) ‘are you kidding?’

“It’s a childhood dream and I just can’t wait to get out there.”

John Noble is pushing his case for selection. Picture: Michael Klein

The 22-year-old has averaged 24 disposals and 95 ranking points in three games for the Magpies.

“He didn’t play the first couple of VFL games he was available for. We just got him up to speed,” coach Nathan Buckley said.

“He was able to learn a little bit about us, about the environment, about the way we want to play the game and just picked it up really quickly.

“His VFL form has been really strong to the point where his strengths are going to make us better.”

Noble bolted into the selection frame after impressing with his elite speed and decision-making skills over the past three games in the VFL

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In particular, his kicking could become a weapon off half back as the Magpies look to rediscover some more run and precision ball-use out of defence.

Noble, who was emergency for the loss to Hawthorn on Friday night, has averaged 24 possessions since he was taken from West Adelaide in the SANFL with pick No. 14 in the mid-season draft.

Friday’s match will be the second time Noble has played at Optus Stadium this year after representing the SANFL in a state game against the WAFL in May.

“I knew that my path was going to be a bit different,” he said.

“It was just grinding and keep pursuing that dream and it would eventually come true.”

He will become the third mid-season draftee to debut after Western Bulldogs Ryan Gardner and Melbourne’s Kyle Dunkley.