When Aliir Aliir was growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp, he wouldn't have dreamed he'd eventually have a lockerroom beside the great Adam Goodes.
The Sudanese 20-year-old took another step toward his AFL dream with a strong display for the Sydney Swans reserves in a 14.17 (101) to 5.6 (36) NEAFL win over Eastlake at Manuka Oval on Saturday.
Athletic and with good skills at ground level that bely his 196-centimetre frame, Aliir grew up playing soccer but moved to Australia with his family as refugees in 2003.
Aliir caught the Australian Rules bug attending school in Brisbane and was taken at pick 44 by the Swans in the 2013 National Draft.
He is the second player of Sudanese descent to be drafted into the AFL, after North Melbourne's Majak Daw, who has played 14 games for the Roos.
"I have a chat to Majak every now and then and he's been really good to me, leading up to my under-18s he was able to help me out a lot," Aliir said.
"We went to Kenya when I was pretty young and I only played soccer, I didn't pick up footy until I was in high school and it's turned out pretty good.
"I was just a kid so I don't remember too much [about the refugee camp], all I remember is running around and playing sport, being a normal kid."
Aliir said it was surreal to go from that upbringing to being picked up by the Swans, whom he grew up supporting.
It was definitely unreal. I was a Swans supporter and [former Swan] Mick O'Loughlin coaching me [at the AIS].
"Goodesy's locker is next to mine and he's definitely a guy to look up to, he has a lot of knowledge and I try and pick his brain every now and then.
"He's a great role model."
Despite being winless this year, Eastlake showed great heart in the first half and only trailed by three goals at the main break.
But the Swans greater experience and conditioning told late in the match, keeping Eastlake scoreless in the final quarter. Eastlake assistant coach Guy Cannon said coming up against the likes of Craig Bird and Dean Towers is a valuable learning experience.
"The first half was a really good result for us. We were competitive, we stuck tackles and our effort and energy around the contest was good," Cannon said.
"A young side doesn't get many opportunities to come up against a side as good as this, it's about learning from those guys and not going into your shell.
"We're committed to it [NEAFL], we have to prove we're competitive for longer periods and we're slowly showing that."
In AFL Canberra matches, Belconnen maintained its unbeaten start with a 10.12 (72) to 9.7 (61) win over Tuggeranong in the top-of-the-table clash, Queanbeyan won a thriller over Ainslie 12.11 (83) to 12.10 (82) and Eastlake beat Gungahlin 12.16 (88) to 8.5 (53).
SYDNEY SWANS 2.4 6.6 10.12 14.17 (101)
EASTLAKE 0.3 3.6 5.6 5.6 (36)
Other match: Sydney University 6.0 10.7 16.12 22.14 (146) bt Ainslie 1.3 2.6 5.7 7.9 (51).
AFL Canberra: Queanbeyan 4.2 7.6 9.8 12.11 (83) bt Ainslie 6.0 6.3 9.7 12.10 (82); Belconnen 2.4 5.5 7.7 10.12 (72) bt Tuggeranong 2.2 5.3 9.4 9.7 (61); Eastlake 12.16 (88) bt Gungahlin 8.5 (53)
