Brisbane Lions fans are more than used to having a McGrath running around in the maroon blue and gold, with 2003 premiership player Ash McGrath forging a long and successful career with the Club that only ended a few months ago.

And although Ash McGrath has since moved back to his home state of Western Australia to play local football, his surname will live on at the Gabba through recent teenage draftee Jaden McGrath.

Jaden McGrath, who is no relation to Ash, was taken by the Lions with Pick No.73 at last Thursday night’s NAB AFL Draft and will join his new teammates in Brisbane on Monday morning.

McGrath spent the majority of his junior days playing with Kerang in Victoria’s Central Murray Football League, but moved to Bendigo at the beginning of 2013 to complete his final two years of secondary school.

Having already lived away from home for the past two years (albeit only a couple hours’ drive away) will no doubt help prepare McGrath as he settles into his new football environment.

“At the start of this year I found it pretty hard being by myself all the time, just in my room. There's only so much TV you can watch before you get sick of that as well," McGrath told afl.com.au in August.

"It was hard at the start but since I've got my licence it's made things a bit easier, I can go to the gym or do something like that. I'm not really reliant on catching taxis everywhere.

 "You have to mature a bit more, and be more professional. Instead of watching telly I stretch or do some core work. It's probably taught me to be more diligent with my time.”

What made his alone time even more difficult was the fact that he spent a large part of the 2014 season sidelined with a combination of knee, wrist, and hamstring injuries.

McGrath worried that his on-field absence would affect his chances of being drafted.

"I was feeling pretty down, and through all the rehab there's definitely been that thought that I've fallen back and everyone's forgotten about me," McGrath said.

“It's just been one thing after another. I haven't been able to get consistent games of footy together and put my best foot forward.”

But he’d obviously done enough to earn an invite to the NAB AFL Draft Combine in October, and ultimately impress the Lions.

At 179cm, McGrath is widely considered a potential small forward, however his speed and endurance could also lend itself to playing a valuable midfield role in the future.