There may be five years between them; their paths to this point so very different, but Brandan Parfitt and Tom Stewart will forever share a bond that will long outlast their AFL careers.

18-year-old Parfitt and 23-year-old Stewart will on Sunday become the Cats’ newest debutants when they don the hoops and run onto Domain Stadium in Perth to face Fremantle in this, the opening round of the 2017 home and away season.

“It’s an awesome feeling to know I’ll be debuting with Stewy,” Parfitt told reporters on Friday.

“He’s been the captain of us first-year boys and taken us all under his wing. He’s a bit of an experienced veteran. It’s going to be awesome.”

Local boy Stewart immediately dismissed the ‘veteran’ notion, but it’s far from an unfair assessment made by his younger teammate.

A product of the Cats’ VFL program, via GFL club South Barwon, Stewart joins the likes of Michael Barlow and James Podsiadly – to name but a few – as mature-aged recruits who have gone on to make immediate impacts at their respective clubs.

This time last year, he was preparing for his first season at VFL level, though by the time winter rolled around he had well and truly landed himself on the radar of AFL clubs, not least of which his home club of Geelong. 

A meeting in June with Cats’ list manager Stephen Wells, general manager of football Steven Hocking and other Geelong powerbrokers told him what he needed to know.

“I was in the gym doing a rehab session and Scarlo [Matthew Scarlett] gave me a tap on the shoulder and said, ‘Wellsy wants to have a chat with you’,” Stewart reflected. 

“I met with Hock and Wellsy, Troy [Selwood] and Shane O’Bree in Wellsy’s office and they said this is starting to become a reality and that was the start for me.” 

“It seems like just yesterday now but obviously we’re playing games. It’s just awesome.” 

In a nice touch of fate, Cats champion Matthew Scarlett was on hand yet again this week to hint at what good news may be coming the young defender’s way.

“I sort of caught wind on Monday [that I was going to debut]. Scarlo gave me the nudge and said ‘be ready to play,” Stewart said.

“But I got the call last night from Lloydy [Simon Lloyd] and said officially, congratulations and well done, [though] I couldn’t have scripted it better, having him [Scarlett] telling me and letting me know [first].”

Parfitt also discovered on Thursday he too would be making his debut, albeit the circumstances were slightly different.

Entering the AFL system in the conventional way of underage and representative football, it was by coincidence and a pinch of convenience that Geelong’s first pick in the 2016 draft was still at the club as the selection committee finalised their best 22. 

Director of coaching Simon Lloyd sought out Parfitt and took him right into the war room, with the young Cat unsure which way things could go.

“I knew I was in the frame but I didn’t know for sure and then yesterday I stayed around,” Parfitt said. 

“They’d just finished their committee meeting and Lloydy just grabbed me said Scotty [Chris Scott] wants to have a chat to you.”

“All the other coaches’ heads were down and I wasn’t too sure what to expect … they didn’t give much. When I saw the heads down, I thought I was going to get told to keep pushing harder for a spot in the next coming weeks or something like that.”

“He [Scott] just said ‘congratulations, you’ve worked hard over summer and you’ve earned your spot’ and that was pretty much it. He probably said a couple of other words but that’s all I can remember, it was a bit of a blur to be honest.”

Both Parfitt and Stewart have earned their debuts through their attitude, commitment to improve and form through three JLT Community Series hit-outs.

Neither expected to play round one and especially not Stewart, who only underwent a shoulder reconstruction post-Christmas.

The reality is, however, that both are ready. They have proven as much and that the powers that be have faith in their ability to perform in what will be a severe test against a new-look Dockers side says it all.

Now the only thing left is to do is enjoy the experience.

“We’ve both said it’s a pinch yourself to come to training, let alone get a guernsey round one,” Stewart said.

“There’s no pressure on myself, just get out there and enjoy the experience; playing in front of 50,000 crazy supporters will be pretty fun.”

“I’m obviously here for a reason. I can play the game, so I’ve just got to back my judgment and hit the footy hard.” 

Stewart, Parfitt and the Cats will take on Fremantle in Perth on Sunday at Domain Stadium from 4:40 WST.