Joe Harrison is an Essendon VFL player. He’s earned his spot, been given the nod, moved through the first-game nerves and come out on the other side.

After training last Wednesday, coach Dan Jordan caught Harrison by surprise and delight when he confided in the 19-year-old that he would be named for the Bombers’ round eight clash with the Northern Blues at IKON Park.

“I was very excited,” Harrison said

“I was just over the moon. I knew I just had to continue putting my best foot forward in terms of playing well at local footy.

“Also, I was doing the extras around the club in terms of talking to my midfield coach and seeking where I can get better in certain areas I need to improve in.”

Time moves in a strange way once you know you’re going to make your debut. Harrison allowed himself one night to quietly let his delighted family know the news before putting on his game face and preparing to make his mark against the Blues.

“I had to turn my focus to the game and focus on what I could do for the team,” Harrison said.

“I had a couple of areas to target on Saturday on how to contribute to the team as much as I could.”

No one would have blamed Harrison for burning on out of control adrenalin as he prepared to run up the race before the match – especially when the lifelong Bombers’ fan was presented with his playing jersey by none other than stand-in captain Aaron Heppell (which he admits was “a pretty surreal feeling”).

Despite his best efforts to keep focused and not “play the game over in my head”, Harrison’s first-game nerves weren’t exactly quelled once the ball hit the turf – his first kick at VFL level sailed out on the full, much to his dismay.

However, all it took was a well-executed tackle and disposal in the first quarter for the newcomer to find his feet.

“My first contribution I made to the team as such was a chase down tackle that I got holding the ball and managed to convert my kick up the line to Greeny.”

Harrison’s debut match was Essendon’s fourth straight win as a steady wearing down of the Blues gave way to an eight-goal-to-none deluge in the last quarter.

The final siren sounded with the Bombers 73 points clear and the emotions went into a blur of moments: the celebratory walk off the ground, a round of congratulations from his teammates, a Gatorade shower as the song was sung, a quiet word of consultative review with midfield coach Ben Patrick.

All the while, Harrison’s grandfather, uncle, father, siblings and university mates stood on the sidelines.

“It was a lot more enjoyable having them there,” Harrison said.

Be it from Adelaide, Horsham, Echuca or Burwood, they had all journeyed to become a part of the support crew for the latest player to don the red and black in the VFL.