THE DEBUT of Hawthorn youngster Matthew Suckling was among the positives to come from his team's eight-point loss to Geelong on Friday night.

The 20-year-old defender was one of three Hawks playing their first game in the MCG blockbuster.

While his 14-disposal performance made for sound reading, Suckling's journey to the elite level is also worth noting.

Suckling watched his club's 2008 premiership triumph over Geelong from the stands and, a few weeks later, was delisted after two years on Hawthorn's list.

"I thought I might have been going back home to Wagga or something," Suckling said.

But a lot has changed in just a few short months.

"At the end of last year when I got delisted ... [I] sort of didn’t know where I was going to be at," he said.

"But I got re-rookied and just trained the best I have and then got an opportunity in the NAB Cup and it’s just gone from there."

Speaking from the change-rooms after the game, Suckling admitted he had to pinch himself in the lead-up to the match.

Having best mate Brendan Whitecross and draftee Ryan Schoenmakers in the same boat also helped ease first-game nerves.

"It’s been a long time coming," Suckling said of his debut.

"It was obviously a great experience to be out there, a big crowd and that, but obviously very disappointing not to get the four points."

After starting on the interchange bench, Suckling was thrown into the thick of it by coach Alastair Clarkson.

He replaced Grant Birchall and headed straight for Steve Johnson – a man whose resume includes a couple of All-Australian guernseys and a Norm Smith Medal.

"I also rotated on a few like [Mathew] Stokes, [Max] Rooke and sometimes [Ryan] Gamble," he said.

"It wasn’t too bad I suppose. I made a few mistakes but I suppose that’s normal in your first game."

With his debut out of the way, Suckling's obvious plan is to keep his place in the talent-laden side.

"I’ve just got to train as hard as I can and hopefully get another opportunity next week and try to prove myself then."