It might have taken him four years longer than he had originally hoped, but Dayne Zorko will finally get his chance to play senior AFL football.

Zorko was named in the Lions’ senior team on Thursday and is now set to make his AFL debut this Saturday night against 2010 Premiers Collingwood at the Gabba.

Before being recruited to the Lions during last year’s trade period, the exciting 23 year-old had been a star of the local QAFL competition with Broadbeach.

Despite winning four consecutive Broadbeach Best & Fairest awards, Captaining Queensland’s U18 and U21 side, and winning a collection of other individual honours, Zorko was continually - and surprisingly - overlooked by AFL clubs.

But his persistence seems to have finally paid off.

After officially joining the Club back in October last year, the Surfers Paradise junior told afl.com.au that there were times that he thought his chance at an AFL career might have passed.

"There were a few days where I thought it wouldn't happen, but I'm so grateful it has," Zorko said.

A senior debut could have been on the cards a little earlier in the 2012 season, if not for a hip complaint which grounded him on the eve of the NAB Cup.

The injury kept him out of action for almost three months, before he was cleared to return with the Lions Reserves two weeks ago against Morningside.

Zorko wasted no time catching the eye of his coaching staff with a scintillating first-up performance in Lions colours. He collected 32 disposals (15 kicks and 17 handballs), laid 14 tackles and kicked two goals to help lead the Reserves to a thumping win over the Panthers.

In his second outing last week against Aspley, the zippy forward had a ‘quieter’ day at the office, but still managed to kick two goals, rack up 23 possessions, and lay plenty of tackles.

His form was simply too good to ignore, and he now finds himself ready to go up against one of the AFL’s genuine powerhouse clubs in front of a near sell-out home crowd at the Gabba.

The local Queenslander becomes the third Lions player to taste senior AFL action for the first time in 2012 - joining Billy Longer (who debuted in Round 3) and Jack Crisp (Round 4).

He will take to the field wearing the number 15 Lions guernsey, which was most famously worn at the Club by three-time Premiership full-back Mal Michael.

Also etched in Lions history on Zorko’s locker-room door is former Fitzroy defender Eddie Goodger who holds the record for most games played in the number 15 guernsey with 149.

A complete list of Club No.15’s and their total games in that jumper has been provided below:

149 - Eddie Goodger (Fitzroy)
140 - Mal Michael (Lions)
94 - John Hayes (Fitzroy)
77 - Graeme Hinchen (Fitzroy)
68 - Steven Lawrence (Bears/Lions)
62 - David Rhodes (Fitzroy)
42 - Don Whitford (Fitzroy)
41 - Alf Clay (Fitzroy)
40 - Fred Moore (Fitzroy)
40 - George Lambert (Fitzroy)
34 - Jack O’Rourke (Fitzroy)
30 - Max Richardson (Fitzroy)
28 - Fred Williams (Fitzroy)
23 - Ray Niven (Fitzroy)
18 - Geoff Hill (Fitzroy)
18 - Bert Minney (Fitzroy)
17 - Jim Shanahan (17)
15 - Neil Hein (Bears)
15 - Leo Maynes (Fitzroy)
15 - David Sykes (Fitzroy)
14 - Clive Fergie (Fitzroy)
13 - Troy Lehmann (Bears)
13 - Jack Vale (Fitzroy)
12 - David Donato (Fitzroy)
9 - Charlie Cameron (Fitzroy)
9 - Paul Spargo (Bears)
8 - Lou Bols (Fitzroy)
8 - Chris O’Sullivan (Bears)
7 - Wal Alexander (Fitzroy)
5 - Leon Gemmell (Fitzroy)
4 - Robert Bolzon (Fitzroy)
2 - Robert McMahon (Fitzroy)
1 - Nigel Palfreyman (Fitzroy)
1 - Audley Gillespie-Jones (Fitzroy)
1 - Xavier Clarke (Lions)
0* - Dayne Zorko (Lions)