Josh Lai Biography

From Cheltenham to Port Adelaide, Josh Lai has come a long way in a short space of time.

"It's definitely been a big last year-and-a-half for me, but to finally run out with the boys twice now has been an unreal experience," Lai told AFL.com.au after Port Adelaide's win over Richmond at the MCG.

"Never really played high-level juniors or anything, so never played at the 'G, or Adelaide Oval last week, so that's been good fun.

"It was unreal. Off the back of last week, playing in Adelaide, starting with the song and all that, it was unreal. Then today playing at the 'G, it was something else, it was great fun."

Teenager Josh Lai, who was playing suburban football last year, will sign with Port Adelaide Power as a SSP rookie in a remarkable rise to the AFL.

Lai landed on Port's radar when recruiters Brett Anderson and Geoff Parker went to watch Cheltenham play on Anzac Day last year and realised he had AFL traits, despite his lack of exposure to the traditional pathways.