The name ‘Leonardo’ is of German origin, derived from the old name ‘Leonhard’. It’s formed by combining ‘leon’, meaning iron, and ‘hard’ meaning brave. So together it means ‘as brave as a lion’.

But it could just as easily mean ‘one of a kind.’ Because Leo Lombard, who became the SUNS’ 152^ndplayer against Fremantle last Saturday, is exactly that. In more ways than one.

The AFL has had nine players named Leon and Leo, most notably Western Bulldogs/Richmond 256-gamer turned GWS coach Leon Cameron, Collingwood 211-gamer Leon Davis,  133-game dual Hawthorn premiership player Leon Rice, Fitzroy 186-gamer Leon Harris and Sydney/Hawthorn 122-gamer Leon Higgins. Plus, St Kilda’s Leo Connolly, Geelong’s Leo King, and North’s Leo Groenewegan and Fitzroy’s Leon Goonan.

But never a Leonardo, as he is labelled on the club website.

And while he’s not quite as famous as Leonardo da Vinci, painter, scientist and inventor of the Italian Renaissance in the 15^th century, or world-acclaimed modern day actor Leonardo Di Caprio, and he’s a ‘i’ short of the famous American football coach Vince Lombardi, there’s every reason to think he’ll build a formidable profile of his own.

Of English/Cuban heritage and an emerging junior star in jiu-jitsu, Lombard took up Australian football aged eight at the Burleigh Bombers, joined the Streetsmarts SUNS Academy at 12, and was always an AFL player in waiting.

In 2022, he was in an All-Australian Under 16 side that included fellow seven other first-round AFL draftees in 2024 – Sam Lalor, Finn O’Sullivan, Jagga Smith, Levi Ashcroft, Josh Smillie, Xavier Lindsay and Luke Trainor.

In 2023 and 2024 he was an All-Australian Under 18 choice, sharing the covered Larke Medal for the best player at the Under 18 Championships In 2024.

His draft profile described him as “an explosive, hard-nosed and relentless ball-winner, capable of running in waves and rolling forward to hit the scoreboard.”

At 16 he’d been a member of the Gold Coast’s 2023 VFL premiership side, snapping a lovely grand final goal after receiving a handball from Sam Day, and his pre-draft highlights tape is quite extraordinary.

At the AFL Draft Combine, he won the agility test and clocked 2.85sec to rank second in the 20m sprint.

So on November 20, 2024 it was not ‘if’ he’d be picked up by the SUNS but where he’d fall in the first round.

At Pick 9, St Kilda bid on the Academy star. Instantly, the SUNS matched the bid and Lombard’s place at the club which he’d supported as a kid was confirmed.

On Saturday, aged 18 years 238 days on debut, he became the 15^th-youngest SUNS player all-time. In the last six years, only 2023 debutant Bailey Humphrey at 18 years, 209 days has been younger.

But it could have been different. Had he not injured his shoulder in a practice match against Brisbane in February he may have played in the season opener against West Coast on March 16. He would have been 18 years 162 days old and third-youngest in club history.

And if the scheduled Opening Round game against Essendon on March 8 had not been cancelled he could have debuted another eight days younger – enough to slip inside Jacob Heron (18 years, 160 days) and leave only David Swallow (18 years, 134 days) ahead of him.

Lombard became the fourth player to wear #30 for the SUNS after player #5 Campbell Brown (46 games), player #77 Peter Wright (60 games) and player #132 player Levi Casboult (44 games).

And when he gathered a loose ball in the forward pocket in the second quarter, had the presence to steady and snapped truly he joined a group of now 33 SUNS players to goal in his first game.

But what came in the 30 seconds that followed was in a class of its own. His celebration with teammates on the field before he headed to the interchange bench, offering a salute to his mother Nicky in the grandstands along the way, giving a hi-five to the runner as he ran past, was amazing.

It had to be to match the emotional private jumper presentation last week by his mother Nicky in the club’s board room with Senior Coach Damien Hardwick and Head of Football Performance Wayne Campbell.

As she waited with Hardwick, Nicky recounted the days when, as a pre-schooler, her son would see other kids kicking a football and would say ‘footy, footy’. And she’d reply “we are not doing footy … I’m not sitting beside a paddock.”

She continued: “And now look… it’s all worth it, all the work and pain and stress, thank you.”

Hardwick replied: ‘ Thank you so much. It’s a marvellous story. The reason we wanted you here is because you’re a massive part of it. This lad doesn’t get an opportunity without you.

“It’s exactly what the Academy is about, parents who give up everything for their kids; drive, feed, tend to… it’s a reward for you as well.”

Shortly after Lombard walked in with Campbell to see his mother holding up his #30 jumper. He said “no way” before giving his Mum a big hug. And another one as he described her as ‘my everything’ before they shared a tear.

Hardwick continued: “You should be very proud as a unit. We are so honoured you are going to play you first game with the Gold Coast SUNS. You’ve earned it … we love you.”

After more tears, and an admission from Hardwick ‘now you’re making me cry’, the coach said to Lombard ‘everything we crave as a player, you bring … that’s why we picked you.”

Lombard, who had received his jumper from close mate Jake Rogers on draft night, was the fifth product of the Burleigh Bombers to play at AFL level for the SUNS after Brayden Crossley, Jacob Dawson and Bodhi Uwland.

Lachie Gulbin, a rookie new to the club this year, is waiting to be the next, and next year there could be more, with prospects Zeke Uwland, Beau Addinsall and Jai Murray all Burleigh juniors.