Tom Cole made a good impression in his AFL debut with the West Coast Eagles.
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The former Bendigo Pioneers and Sandhurst defender didn’t look out of place in the Eagles’ big win over the Gold Coast.
“It was a pretty surreal kind of feeling running out there with all the boys and having the crowd all around you,” Cole told westcoasteagles.com.au
“It was a lot faster than any footy I’ve played in. You’ve got to react quicker and watch what the ball is doing. If you get caught out just ball watching, you’re going to get caught out pretty quick. ”
Cole had seven kicks, seven handballs, four marks and laid two tackles.
"I was kind of a bit nervous at the start of the game obviously, but I thought I found my feet a little bit and I felt a lot more comfortable in the second half," he said.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson praised the 19-year-old.
“He had a couple of fumbles here and there that I’m sure he’d like to take back, but I thought he worked into the game,” Simpson said.
“It was his birthday yesterday and his parents are over, so he had all that in his head. To be part of a win and to get that game under his belt, I think we’re going to see a pretty good player in the future.”
The Eagles play the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium this Sunday.