FIVE years ago, the thought of playing football was the furthest thing from Sam Naismith's mind, let alone running out for a Grand Final.
 
The Sydney Swans ruckman comes from Gunnedah, a country town in NSW dominated by rugby, and played both codes until he was 16.
 
He was invited to the Swans academy by former coach Paul Roos, drafted as a rookie in 2013 and elevated to the senior list at the end of 2015.
 
Naismith was named in the senior team in round 16 for just his second game, and the 24-year-old hasn't missed a match since.
 
"A few years ago I wasn't even planning on playing AFL, let alone playing in a Grand Final, so it's a very exciting experience," Naismith said at the Grand Final parade.
 
"It's pretty big, and I'm just trying to calm everything down around me before the game."
 
Despite suffering serious groin and hand injuries, and a bout of glandular fever early in his career, Naismith always believed he could make the senior team, even halfway through this season when the team was dominating.
 
"Anything was possible. I was confident that I could come into the team and try my hardest to get there. The team were going pretty well, they were top of the ladder, so it's very exciting for me and a few of the other young guys coming through."
 
Naismith has now strung 11 consecutive games together, an impressive feat considering he has only played 12, with his debut coming back in 2014.
 
He puts his newfound consistency down to a combination of luck and management.
 
"I wouldn't say I've cemented my spot in the team, it helped with a few injuries to some of the other big guys, it's just been lucky.
 
"Perseverance is everything, especially with preparation and recovery, so that's been the key for the last three years while I've been injured."
 
Come Saturday, over 1000km from home and nearly four years into his unexpected AFL career, Naismith will be thinking of one thing.
 
"The first bounce. It's going to be red-hot, so I'm looking forward to the contest," he said.