Tom Stewart is the perfect example of why a player should never give up on his AFL dream.
In 2015, Tom Stewart was running around for South Barwon in the Geelong Football League.
Four years later and Stewart is an All-Australian, is widely regarded as one of the premium defenders in the competition, and on Sunday at the MCG, the 26-year-old will run out for his 50th game.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast on Wednesday, Stewart offered a simple piece of advice for players in lower leagues that still hope to get drafted by an AFL club.
"I suppose just hang tough," he said.
"It's awesome to see that there's a mid-season draft come in and that these mature-age players, and I suppose the boys that get overlooked at Under 18 level, get another chance.
"And also it gives clubs a bit of an out if they do have an unfortunate season-ending injury.
"It's exciting."
The first mid-season draft in more than 25 years will be held on May 27, with clubs able to draft any footballers who have already been on an AFL list, or who nominated for the 2018 NAB AFL Draft.
Ahead of his milestone match, Stewart admitted he probably wouldn't be an AFL player if it wasn't for Matthew Scarlett.
The Geelong great coached Stewart at South Barwon, where he played in two premierships, before joining Geelong's VFL side.
"Probably not, I probably wouldn't have pulled my finger out and had a crack, to be honest. He was that person that told me to stop wasting my time being a local footballer and go down to the VFL and have a crack, as did Troy Selwood and Shane O'Bree, they were really good in my development as well," Stewart said.
"I think, without 'Scarlo' starting that initial, I suppose, desire to go down and have a crack, I don't think I would be in the position that I'm in today."
The Cats selected Stewart with pick 40 in the 2016 national draft, he debuted in Round 1 2017, and after just 43 games, Stewart was a member of the competition's team of the year.