Isaiah Dudley has expressed his excitement and disbelief at the opportunity of making his AFL debut in RAC Derby 60 on Sunday.

Hailing from South Australia originally, Dudley said he was looking forward to getting a taste of the fierce competition that the RAC Derby holds between West Coast and Fremantle.

"It's pretty exciting, two WA teams. I'm pretty keen to see what it's like. I can't wait," Dudley said.

The young forward admitted that his journey to the AFL, from joining Fremantle as a train-on in December 2024 to making his AFL debut on the weekend, had been surreal.

"It's been pretty crazy and pretty hectic. I wouldn't have thought in a million years that I would be getting signed and then debuting in the RAC Derby," Dudley said.

The news of his debut was met with an emotional response from his family.

"I rang my mum about five minutes after (finding out), and they were over the moon and got emotional, so it was nice," Dudley recounted.

"She didn’t say much—she was just teary and said that she loves me and is super proud of me."

Dudley's family will be present to witness his AFL debut, flying over from South Australia, adding an extra layer of emotion to the occasion.

"It's going to be pretty special to have them there to share my moment,” Dudley beamed.

“It's going to be extra special to have them there to watch me finally play on an AFL stage. It's going to be amazing."

The newcomer praised his teammates for their support both on and off the field, helping him feel comfortable in his new environment.

The 21-year-old said he had been particularly excited about playing alongside some of Fremantle's stars, including Nat Fyfe, with whom Dudley has played alongside twice for Peel Thunder in the WAFL practice matches.

“They’ve (Michael Walters, Shai Bolton, Quinton Narkle) been super to me. You know, not just on the field with footy but off the field, making me feel more comfortable around the place,” Dudley said.

“I’m loving spending my time with them and with everyone else as well.

“Playing alongside Fyfe—he’s one of my favourite players—so playing alongside him is pretty crazy, along with the other boys.

“It’s good to play alongside them and now to be playing with guys like Caleb (Serong) and all that, it’s going to be pretty special.”

When asked about his role for the weekend, Dudley emphasised that he’d play to his strengths.

"My forward pressure, repeat efforts, and then bringing my strengths—that’s the reason why I’m here, to bring my strengths and x-factor,” Dudley said.

Sunday's RAC Derby 60 will bounce down at 3.10pm WST at Optus Stadium.