DAYNE Zorko was raised on the Gold Coast, played footy on the Gold Coast and was drafted by Gold Coast.

But on Saturday afternoon, the 23-year-old will run on to Metricon Stadium for the first time against the Suns' wearing the maroon, blue and gold of their fiercest rivals - the Brisbane Lions.

Gold Coast doesn't see him as the one that got away, but the Lions certainly are glad they stumbled on the pocket dynamo from Broadbeach.

Zorko has been one of the feel-good stories of the 2012 season, being picked up by the Lions in a three-way trade that involved Gold Coast and Melbourne late last year.

He has played nine games and impressed with his work-rate (20 disposals per game), tenacity (6.6 tackles per game), creativity and goal-sense (eight goals).

After being overlooked in the NAB AFL Draft at the end of 2007, Zorko went on to play senior footy in the AFLQ State League competition, winning Broadbeach's best and fairest in each of the four years he played.

He finally got his chance at the big time when the Suns drafted him through a zone selection last year.

But craving a key defender to help lone ranger Nathan Bock in the backline, Gold Coast traded Zorko to the Lions and received Demons' defender Matthew Warnock in a deal that also included draft picks.

"Our list was reducing from 48 to 46 so we didn't have an abundance of picks. Our priority at that time was to get a key defender," Gold Coast football manager Marcus Ashcroft said.

"We were in the market to find someone like Matty Warnock and we were very glad we got him."

Ashcroft said it was unrealistic to trade another player to lure Warnock, with the Suns intent on investing more time in their 17-year-old and draft selections from the previous year.

Zorko was on holiday in Bali during the trade period and said he had little idea what was going on.

"I guess I would have liked to have perhaps got the opportunity at Gold Coast, but I didn't, and I'm very happy with the Brisbane Lions," Zorko said.

"I've loved every minute of it so far and it's a place I want to stay.

"I'll be up for the game, there's no doubt about that."

Zorko started his time with the Lions slowly, hampered by a persistent groin injury that stifled his pre-season.

However, assistant coach Gary O'Donnell said that was when he had his first glimpse of how good the 175cm midfielder could be.

"From the moment he got here he was like a sponge, he wanted to learn about everything," O'Donnell said.

"He couldn't train as much [during pre-season] because he had the (groin) issue, and he just wanted to learn. 'How do you do this, how do you do that, what are we supposed to be doing here?'

"He was the best student off the field and it's showed in his footy. He's slotted in seamlessly in the roles he's had to play and he seems to know them very well."

Despite Zorko's meteoric rise, Ashcroft said there were no regrets from the Suns.

"We think it's great," he said.

"If we can give any Queensland player a chance to play in the AFL, and if we've helped in that somehow, we think good on him.

"As many young Queensland boys playing under-age footy or in the AFLQ as he has, if they're given a chance to play at an AFL club we think it's great. We're rapt the way he's been playing."

Ashcroft and the rest of the Suns just hope Zorko doesn't play so well on Saturday.

Michael Whiting covers Gold Coast news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_mikewhiting