IT WAS the debut he never saw coming, and the result that he and his teammates had been itching for.

While Luke Parks was unaware of the news that was coming his way on Thursday courtesy of David Teague, the young defender stepped into the side with aplomb in his first senior game yesterday afternoon.

Collecting 13 disposals and five intercept possessions, Parks slotted in alongside the likes of Liam Jones and Jacob Weitering down back to enjoy a positive debut and maiden win for the football club.

Speaking in the rooms post-match with his family and friends in the vicinity, Parks said it was a day he wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

“I could get used to that,” Parks said.

“Getting a handball from ‘Crippa’ or ‘Walshy’, it’s still pretty crazy. Being on a big deck and getting handballs from those kind of blokes… it was pretty amazing.

“It took probably a quarter and a bit to get the cobwebs out and get used to it, but I think I got comfortable in the end and started to do a few good things.”

Parks’ story was one frequently told last weekend, having relocated from New South Wales to South Australia after identifying it was his best bet to get into the elite system.

Three rounds into his first season, Parks has ticked off his first game and his first win: it’s clear the gamble has paid off.

Turning 20 in two weeks, Parks said his confidence came on the back of the support of his teammates both during the week and on game day.

“They told me to play to my strengths, stick to what I’m good at and get my job done,” he said.

“That’s all they wanted from me.

“I had a pretty easy job in that respect, but they were really good at talking me through that.”

Stay tuned to carltonfc.com.au during the week for a special edition of Spotlight on Parks’ debut.