Bailey Banfield says a Ross Lyon punt to test the 20-year-old in the forwardline during the JLT Community Series is behind his meteoric rise into Fremantle’s round one starting 22. 

Arriving at Fremantle via the NAB AFL Rookie Draft in November, and being overlooked completely in the 2016 drafts, Banfield will run out with fellow debutant Andrew Brayshaw against Port Adelaide on Saturday at Adelaide Oval.

Banfield spoke of trying to lose the label as a ‘slow inside mid’ prior to joining Fremantle and a masterstroke from Freo’s senior coach helped the Claremont product show his full potential.

ROSS HAS BANFIELD AND BRAYSHAW ON BOARD FOR ROUND ONE, ARE YOU? JOIN NOW FOR 2018!

“Before the JLT Series I was training as a forward, back, mid, wing,” Banfield said.

“Just before the JLT1 against Adelaide, Ross flipped some magnets around and I ended up as a forward rotation and I was able to go all right there.”

Banfield booted two goals from 11 disposals against the Crows and hasn't looked back.

"I did do a lot of reflecting on it (being overlooked). I think a lot of it was based on my kicking and I think I got pigeonholed a little bit as a slow inside mid and it was really hard to break that mould. 

"Now I’ve come here I’m playing as a small, quick forward, so it’s complete opposites and I suppose it’s only really now that I’m breaking that pigeonhole."

Banfield paid tribute to his former WAFL club, especially former Freo player Kepler Bradley, who is the current reserves coach at Claremont.

Thanks to Bradley’s encouragement, Banfield found his feet at league level where he won the club’s best and fairest in 2017.

“I played five games of twos footy before I made my league debut and he really pumped me up," Banfield said.

“He gave me a lot of confidence, that I could play at that level and I think that’s where I started building some momentum to go into league footy.”

While Banfield says making his debut this weekend will be a dream come true, he might not be able to match the excitement of his father, a diehard Fremantle fan. 

“He’s over the moon,” Banfield said.

“He can’t get enough of it and he’s loving it at the moment. He met Pav (Matthew Pavlich) at the JLT game the other week and you couldn’t wipe the smile of his face afterwards.

“He was loving that and he’s stoked for me.”