There were beautiful scenes after Gold Coast’s impressive victory over Geelong in Darwin on Thursday night when the Seven AFL team spoke to four-gamer Lloyd Johnston.
Johnston’s journey into the AFL is quite incredible, starting off by simply running water for the Suns.
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“I got the opportunity to help the boys two years ago,” Johnston explained.
“(I was) doing the water for them, picking up balls from the goals, (working) in the changerooms, helping with the shirts and shorts.
“And then I got picked up, I got picked up at the end of that year, and I came and played VFL, that was special playing VFL in front of the family and friends.
“And now this is something bigger …. you can’t describe it, hey. It’s just mind-blowing.”
Johnston, 19, hails from the Northern Territory and made his AFL debut late last year.
On Thursday night, he again played in front of family, and impressed with 14 touches, six tackles and eight marks.
When talking to Seven after the match, AFL great Joel Selwood noticed an interested onlooker.
“We can see mum over your right shoulder, she’s looking a little bit nervous,” Selwood said.
And that’s when star commentator and Bulldogs legend Luke Darcy decided to call her over.
“Come in and join us,” Darcy said.
As she walked over in her Gold Coast top, Johnston noticed: “Mum is having tears in her eyes.”
Standing next to Shaun Burgoyne — one of all-time great Indigenous footballers — and with his arm around his mum, the young star also became emotional.
“They supported me through all my ups and downs … (where I’ve got to) now is all because of them,” he said.
Darcy then asked Johnston’s mother about her emotions.
“I’m beyond proud,” she said. “I knew he’d get somewhere.”
Selwood asked: “Do you miss him?”
Naturally she said yes, while also noting he was leaving that night.
“We’ll catch up soon. You’re only a phone call away,” she said.
Johnston said he was thrilled to be at Gold Coast and had some great Indigenous teammates who have helped him make him feel welcome.
He also revealed he had taken some of his teammates fishing but they “didn’t really catch anything”.
“The boys saw a croc and they got out pretty quick, I hear,” Darcy said.
Johnston: “Yeah, the next day they were talking about it and didn’t want to get back into the water.”
AFL fans loved the interview.
“In the words of Bruce, ‘that’s special’. Could here a little tremble in his voice when his (mum) first joined him showing how much it meant to him,” one fan said.
Another said: “What a legend. Good on ya mate and mum. I love these stories.”