It's a statistic the Dragons are rightly proud of.

Fittingly, AFL player number 60 comes from a family that has been a cornerstone of the club for decades.

Flynn Perez's grandparents, parents, siblings, uncles, aunties and cousins have played key roles with the Dragons on and off the field.

"All the family have been wonderful for the Sandhurst Football Netball Club,'' Sandhurst president Chris Greene said.

"They are a ripping group of people. It's a terrific story for young Flynn to come through the ranks and get his chance in the AFL."

Flynn played one senior game for Sandhurst in early 2018 before spending the rest of the season with the Bendigo Pioneers in the NAB League.

The Dragons knew well before that season that they were unlikely to see the smooth-moving defender/midfielder play much senior footy in Bendigo.

Even after he underwent a knee reconstruction at the end of 2018, Flynn had shown enough to be drafted.

"We wish Flynn all the very best on Saturday night,'' Greene said.

"Hopefully, he gets through the game and then he gets soaked in Gatorade at the end of the game.

"He's such an impressive young kid. He deserves all the success he gets.

"For an 18-year-old to be disciplined enough to come back from an ACL like that is a fantastic effort.

"He's done all the hard work. Now he can get out there and enjoy himself."

EARLIER: Perez was told of his selection at training on Thursday.

"It's been a huge journey. I've been building my fitness and form over the last month, and I'm really stoked," Perez told nmfc.com.au.

"I've done a lot of work with the defenders so I'm hoping that puts me in good stead, and we'll see how I go."

The knee injury didn't quell the Roos' interest in the silky-skilled Perez and they pounced with selection 35 in last year's National Draft.

Perez will become the fourth player with Bendigo links to make his AFL debut this year.

Perez's Pioneers' team-mate Thomson Dow has played the past two games with Richmond.

Former South Bendigo ruckman Kieran Strachan made his debut with the Adelaide Crows, while former Bendigo Gold forward Jake Aarts made his debut with Richmond in round five and has played every game since.

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