With a footballing bloodline which could hardly be stronger, teenager Marcus Drum - nephew of former Fremantle coach Damian and cousin of Geelong captain Steven King - is set to make his AFL debut for the Dockers against Sydney.

Drum, recruited as the Dockers' top draft choice last year, also boasts Richmond legend Francis Bourke as another uncle - perhaps explaining the genes which helped him to All-Australian honours at under-18 level in 2004.

And after being told of his impending debut on Thursday, Drum said he was delighted to be following family footsteps into elite football.

"I'm just pleased and happy they have shown faith in me and given me the opportunity to represent the club," Marcus said.

"It is massive (playing Sydney) - there is probably no harder team to come up against, but we are looking forward to the challenge.

"I thought in the back of my head I may be close, but it is still a huge surprise when you find out."

A tall defender who can play forward, Drum has gradually worked his way into senior reckoning this season with increasingly impressive WAFL showings for Perth.

The challenge of Sydney in Drum's first senior game is made even more apt by his uncle Damian's stint as assistant coach there from 1994-98.

Citing former Swans legends Tony Lockett and Paul Kelly as his childhood heroes, Drum said he would playing alongside two of his other idols, Paul Hasleby and Matthew Pavlich.

"To be running around alongside childhood heroes will be a pretty big thing," Drum said.

Hailing from Shepparton in Victoria, Drum was drafted from the Murray Bushrangers, who count amongst their former stars Fraser Gehrig, Justin Koschitzke, Adem Yze, Josh Fraser and Barry Hall.

Drum also shares a home town with Dockers coach Chris Connolly, which played a role in his arrival at Fremantle.

On drafting Drum last year, Connolly said the Dockers rated the 189cm defender "exceptionally high".

"He's from one of the great sporting families in country Victoria," Connolly said.

"When we'd done all our homework, our recruiting network placed him very, very highly."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP