Fresh from his making his AFL debut for the Lions on the weekend, 2018 draftee Noah Answerth joined Dom Fay and Mike Whiting or the Roar Deal to relive what was one of the biggest weeks of his life.

Answerth was told last Thursday by Senior Coach Chris Fagan that he would be making his AFL debut. His family in Melbourne and rural Queensland quickly made travel plans to be there for the big day. 

“It was a great experience to get them up on short notice,” he said. 

“One of my uncles drove inland from Queensland.”

The family know just how important this moment was for the 19-year-old. In 2017 while playing for the Oakleigh Chargers he suffered a horrific fracture to his vertebrae which had him out of action for eight months. 

To have such a serious injury at the most critical time to get drafted was heartbreaking. He admitted he almost gave up.

If it wasn’t for the medical team at the Oakleigh Chargers, he doesn’t believe he would be here at the Lions today.

“I had a really good physio at the club and looked after me massively,” he said. 

“Without them, I probably wouldn’t have been sitting here.”

He made his comeback through Oakleigh and Vic Metro as a 19-year-old. When he heard the Lions call out his name at Pick No. 50 he said his entire family was very emotional. 

Their tough times were rewarded with absolute joy watching their son/brother/nephew play his first game on Saturday. It was extra special for them to see him share the field with one of the game’s greats. 

“My Dad and brother were in the stands just going a couple of years ago who would have thought that Luke Hodge would be directing me on the ground,” he said.

“It was pretty amazing. One of your idols you look up to and you get to run out with him on the ground.”