By Michael Whiting

Josh Caddy has travelled a rocky road to make his AFL debut, overcoming a horror season of injuries to finally get on the park in the second last game.

The highly-rated 18-year-old will wear the Gold Coast colours for the first time on Sunday when the Suns travel to the MCG to play Melbourne.

Caddy was taken at no.7 in last year's National Draft and came to the Gold Coast with huge raps as an inside ball-winning midfielder after earning under-18 All Australian selection.

But what followed was little short of a nightmare.

He needed groin surgery two weeks into pre-season, then sustained a stress fracture in his foot during the NAB Cup match against West Coast.

Caddy had to sit on the sidelines while almost every other player on the Suns list got a run, before playing a quarter, half and three quarters in Gold Coast's past three reserves matches.

The impressive teenager was open and honest when asked about the toll the season had taken on him mentally.

"When you're injured, a lot of demons creep into your head and you start thinking are you ever going to get back out there and whether or not you'll be any good any more," Caddy said.

"But when you start training and playing you get your confidence back and you start feeling good again. I suppose a few little demons crept into my head throughout the time but now that everything is going good again and I'm feeling good."

Caddy said he was happy for his young teammates to be playing so many games but it was hard not getting his own chance.

"When I got told I was originally going to be out for 12 weeks, going through the junior ranks I never missed more than a couple of weeks of footy, so it was a very low point," he said.

"I had a few little setbacks and every time you hear a little setback you get down in the dumps but finally I came out the other end and it's all going good.

"It's been hard, but to finally get my opportunity makes it even better I think, and more sweet."

Caddy said the club had been terrific throughout his injury setback, especially assistant coach Dean Solomon.

He said he never lost faith that he would play this season and had always set himself the goal of making his debut.

The former Northern Knights captain said he could not think of a better place to run out for the first time.

"Growing up in Melbourne, I went to so many games, I followed North Melbourne, and ever since I was three or four years old I was watching footy at the MCG," he said. "So to debut on there is a dream come true and is amazing."