Mitch Hinge grew up a rampant Adelaide Crows fan.

Living on a 100-acre family property at Mundulla, a town of 675 people 280km south-east of Adelaide near Bordertown, he was aged eight when older brother John played his one and only game for the Crows at Football Park in 2007.

It was the 200th AFL game of Adelaide’s Simon Goodwin, now Melbourne coach, and the 39th AFL game of Adelaide’s Ben Hudson, now a Lions assistant-coach.

He did well until a hamstring injury cut short his day, but was de-listed five months later.

Still, Mitch Hinge, the second-youngest of six Hinge children, has dreamed of following in his brother’s footsteps since.

It didn’t quite work out, but right now Hinge could not care less. He is living his football dream 2000km away in Brisbane. And in an ironic twist the now 20-year-old will make his AFL debut with the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba tomorrow afternoon against the Crows.

Admitting he was “speechless” when told of his selection in a team meeting on Thursday by coach Chris Fagan, Hinge is looking forward to a big family representation as he becomes Brisbane footballer #320. And player #1455 in the combined Brisbane/Fitzroy family.

Drafted from SANFL Club Glenelg, Hinge will extend the Club’s strong historical links with the long-time SANFL powerhouse when he pulls on Lions jumper #22 tomorrow.

Ironically, the first player to wear #22 for the old Brisbane Bears in the AFL was Adam Garton, another Glenelg product who played three games with the Club in 1987-88.

Having stayed in Queensland after his AFL career, Garton has been a Southport stalwart and a staunch Bears/Lions man, and attended the Club’s past players reunion before the game against Sydney at the Gabba a fortnight ago.

Garton was overjoyed today to be invited by the Club to present the #22 jumper to Hinge before the game tomorrow.

Other Glenelg players to have played for the Club include triple premiership player Craig McRae, Jack Redden and, this year, boom recruits Lincoln McCarthy and Lachie Neale.

Among other Glenelg products to have stamped their mark on the AFL after SA football legend Neil Kerley in the pre-AFL days have been Stephen Kernahan, Travis Boak, brothers Kane and Chad Cornes, Andrew Mackie, Bryce Gibbs, Tony McGuinness and Brad Ottens.

A composed 190cm left-footer who plays across half back and on the wing, Hinge has had to be patient before getting the chance he has yearned for.

A SA State representative in 2016, he was overlooked in the National Draft that year when the Lions picked up Hugh McCluggage, Jarrod Berry, Alex Witherden, Cedric Cox, Jacob Allison and Corey Lyons.

But like brother John he got his chance via the Rookie Draft. He was the Lions’ second pick behind Jake Barrett and ahead of Oscar McInerney, Matt Eagles and Blake Grewar.

Twelve months on Hinge saw the Club draft Cam Rayner,, Zac Bailey, Brandon Starcevich, Toby Wooller, Connor Ballenden and Jack Payne, and last November it was Ely Smith, Tom Berry, Tom Joyce, Connor McFadyen and Noah Answerth, plus rookies Tom Fullarton and James Madden.

He has been at close quarters as McCluggage, Berry, Witherden, Allison, McInerney, Eagles, Rayner, Bailey, Starcevich, Answerth and Sam Skinner make his AFL debut in Lions colors, and imports Barrett, Neale, Jarryd Lyons,, Lincoln McCarthy, Luke Hodge, Charlie Cameron and Jack Frost played their first Lions game.

Finally the selection spotlight fell on him on Thursday, much to the delight of teammates who have admired his perseverance over two and a half years.

Hinge, looking to emulate 100-game ex-Lionsrookies Robert Copeland, Pearce Hanley and Cheynee Stiller, took his time finding his feet at the Lions in 2017 before a breakout 2018 campaign.

He was starting to push for AFL selection late in the season until hit by a shoulder problem, and opted for early surgery to ensure he could have the biggest possible pre-season campaign.

Having also worked hard on his football knowledge over the past 12 months, he was committed to personal improvement while always believing he was good enough to make it.

After an outstanding summer he has starred in an unbeaten Lions NEAFL side to earn his chance.

Allocated jumper #42 in 2017-18 without playing in the AFL, Hinge will be the seventh Lions player to wear jumper #22 after Garton, David Bain (86 games), Chris Scott (215), Tom Collier (27), Hudson (18) and Marco Paparone (55).

Three Fitzroy 100-gamers wore #22 – 1913-16 premiership player Charlie Norris, Ken Ross and Noel Price.

Hinge also joins a star-studded list of graduates of Adelaide school Sacred Heart to stamp their mark, including footballers Matthew Pavlich, the Cornes brothers, Mackie, Redden,  Ryan Burton, Hamish Hartlett and 2002 Lions premiership player Aaron Shattock.

Other in the Sacred Heart alumni include horse training legend Bart Cummings, tennis greats John Fitzgerald and Darren Cahill, Test cricketer David Sincock, entertainers Anthony ‘Lehmo” Lehman, Shaun Micallef and Robert Stigwood, former SA Premier Rob Kerin and current Crows chairman Rob Chapman.

Coming off a 16-point loss to the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat last week, the Lions will be looking to end a seven-game losing streak against Adelaide dating back to 2012.

The last week over the Crows was a beauty – the Lions trailed by 38 points at quarter-time but got home on a Tom Rockliff snap 45sec from fulltime. Daniel Rich had 22 disposals and kicked two goals to collect three Brownlow Medal votes,

Only Rich and captain Zorko of the Lions side that day will play against Adelaide tomorrow.