Jackson Nelson didn’t know what to think when his name was left off the round one AFL team sheet.

Since arriving at the club in late 2014, the versatile Geelong product had not been overlooked for a season opening fixture.

At the time it hurt. Really Hurt.

But in hindsight the 23-year-old believes it was a blessing in disguise.

“I haven’t started in the WAFL before, so that was a bit of a hit for me ego-wise,” Nelson said.

“But looking back on it all, it was probably the best thing for my footy, not playing round one in the AFL, which is an odd thing to say.”

In previous years Nelson would have gone back to East Perth to play alongside a mix of WAFL and AFL veterans, some emerging Royals and a handful of West Coast teammates.

But with the introduction of the club’s inaugural state-league side, Nelson – who started the season with 42 AFL games to his name – quickly realised he’d be one of the team’s more senior figures and needed to assume a leadership role.

“I remember walking out against Peel in a WAFL practice match,” Nelson recalled.

“I looked around and there was Brendon Ah Chee, Keegan Brooksby, Fraser McInnes and Brady Grey – that was about it in terms of players with any AFL experience. I had nearly played the most AFL games out of anyone in the team, so I thought to myself, ‘I probably have to step up and be more of a leader’.

“We had a lot of WAFL Eagles play early because the squad had a few injuries. I tried to help them and make them feel comfortable around the group. That was a massive thing we as leaders of the WAFL side had to do early on.

"We wanted the WAFL listed guys that came from amateur clubs to feel comfortable in the AFL environment. I felt like I handled that quite well.”

Those aforementioned injuries also impacted Nelson in another way.

After spending most of the pre-season trying to master the midfield craft, he was thrown down back again and excelled, earning a senior recall for the club’s round 10 clash with Adelaide when Lewis Jetta went out of the side due to suspension.

“I was playing good footy and was next in line,” Nelson said.

“It was a tough day at the office; it was hard for the small backs to get any run or any kind of ball in hand. I played my role and we got the win, but I probably didn’t do enough to hold my spot.”

Nelson went back to the WAFL, continued his good form and forced his way back into the best 22 ahead of West Coast’s Thursday night encounter with Essendon at Optus Stadium.

This time he was given a specific role: To shut down the ‘Bombers’ barometer’, Anthony McDonald Tipungwuti.

Nelson, who spent countless hours working on his tagging techniques with run-with expert Mark Hutchings during the summer months, kept the dangerous forward to just six touches for the contest.

It was a breakout game and one that filled the competitive Geelong Falcons product with confidence.

Nelson has played a similar role since and he ticked another box last Sunday by limiting star Demons’ onballer Clayton Oliver (who amassed 32 disposals through the first three quarters) to just two touches in the final term in the Red Centre.

“I don’t think I would have played that role if I hadn’t been through those experiences earlier this year,” Nelson said.

“I’m not sure the coaches would have asked me to do that job if I hadn’t done it at WAFL level.

“I just want to keep giving it my all and play my role for the team."