Greater Western Sydney’s Daniel Lloyd will make his debut for the Giants against Collingwood

GWS debutant Daniel Lloyd is living proof the dream of playing in the AFL is achievable from just about anywhere after a remarkable rise to the elite level.

GWS Giants rookie Daniel Lloyd will make his debut this week.

GWS debutant Daniel Lloyd is living proof the dream of playing in the AFL is achievable from just about anywhere.

Two years ago Lloyd was about as far away from the big time as anybody could get, working as an apprentice carpenter and playing footy for Central Coast team Killarney Vale in the Black Diamond League.

On Saturday at Spotless Stadium he’ll line up for the Giants as they go searching for their first win over Collingwood.

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The 25-year-old’s effort is made even more remarkable by the team he’s broken into, the second favourites for the premiership.

The expansion team is one of the most talent laden in AFL history and features no less than three No. 1 draft picks in Tom Scully, Lachie Whitfield and Jonathon Patton.

That trio came through the well-worn pathway of the TAC Cup in Victoria but Lloyd travelled an entirely different road after playing senior football at the age of 16 with Killarney Vale.

GWS Giants mature-aged debutant Daniel Lloyd. Picture. Phil Hillyard

It was the old club of Giants assistant coach Mark McVeigh and his brother, former Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh. The GWS coach spotted Lloyd two years ago and suggested Leon Cameron look at the mature-aged talent.

In a similar transition to the one Dane Rampe made from the Sydney Football League to the Swans. Lloyd passed his audition at GWS and made it onto the rookie list.

Rampe went straight into the senior team for round one in 2013 and Lloyd has spent another two years proving himself but senior selection is still an incredible achievement.

“I’m really proud to get a game,” Lloyd told the Daily Telegraph.

“I never really looked too far ahead, I just set a couple of goals and then worked to achieve them. The first one was to get onto the rookie list which I did at the end of 2015. The second was to get onto the primary list which happened this year before round one.”

When Leon Cameron broke the news to Lloyd during the week he didn’t have far to go to share the news with his wife Crystal.

“I walked about 50 metres to where Crystal works in the Giants office,” Lloyd said.

“It was a special moment for both of us. She was very emotional, she has given up a lot for us to do this and I couldn’t have done it without her. I rang Mum and Dad and my brothers as well.”

GWS Giants recruit Daniel Lloyd prefers being an AFL player to working in the real world as a landscape gardener. Picture: Cameron Richardson

Like his teammates Shane Mumford and Rory Lobb, he spent enough time working in the real world to know footy is a more enjoyable and lucrative way to make a living.

“I’ve seen how hard the work is for the money you get,” Lloyd said.

“It’s held me accountable and made me work harder. I’m not in a hurry to go back to work too soon. I think it is an advantage for me.”

Lloyd has been on the cusp of senior selection most of this year after his three-goal performance in the JLT Series opener against West Coast at Narrandera and a series of impressive displays in the NEAFL.

“The game against the Eagles opened my eyes as to how far I’d come,” Lloyd said.

“I’ve still got plenty of work to do but it gave me confidence I can play at the level and contribute. I did 95 per cent of the pre-season which has helped me as well.”

Lloyd comes into the team along with Lachie Whitfield and Sam Reid. Matthew Kennedy was dropped while Adam Kennedy (knee) and Jacob Hopper (finger) are both injured.

Originally published as Greater Western Sydney’s Daniel Lloyd will make his debut for the Giants against Collingwood