Former Magpie to debut for Giants

TONIGHT is payback time for Lachie Keeffe.

The 28-year-old has been given a second chance at an AFL career after his drug ban and will make his debut for GWS Giants against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.

It’s been a long road back for the big man, who was banned for two years along with former Collingwood teammate and fellow Queenslander Josh Thomas after testing positive to Clenbuterol in February 2015.

He and Thomas were both redrafted by the Magpies at the end of the 2016 season but Keeffe couldn’t break into senior ranks and was delisted in September that year and picked up by GWS shortly after as a free agent.

“It’s been a while and hopefully I can repay some of the faith they’ve put in me,” Keeffe said.

“There has been a lot of support from a lot of people. Dave Matthews, Wayne Campbell, Leon Cameron and Adam Schneider my NEAFL coach have all helped out.”

Keeffe’s transition into his new club has been smoothed by the presence of his former Magpies teammate Heath Shaw, who has taken the big man under his wing.

“Having Heath at the club has helped,” Keeffe said.

“It’s been good to see a familiar face. He was good enough to take me in when I arrived and has shown me around Sydney. Nick Shipley is the only player from Sydney (at GWS) so we’re almost all in the same boat.”

Originally from Gympie, Keeffe’s career looked like taking off when he played nine matches in the 2012 season before seriously hurting his knee. When combined with the two-year drug ban it was a setback he never really recovered from.

“It started really well at Collingwood before I hurt my knee and it was a bumpy road after that,” Keeffe said.

“I played all last year in the VFL and then Bucks and Geoff Walsh gave me the tap on the shoulder at the end of the year. But all it takes is one club to like you and that was GWS for me and they threw me a lifeline.”

Tonight is Sam Reid’s 50game milestone — the 10year gap between his first and 50th game is the longest in AFL history.

“Heath said Sam Reid has set the record for the longest gap between his first and 50th game — and I’ll break that record,” Keeffe said. “He said don’t get ahead of yourself you still have another 10 games to get the half century.”