Called up to make his AFL debut as a shock injury-replacement on the eve of the game, Eastlake junior Josh Bruce made a dream start to his career by kicking the opening goal for the Giants yesterday in their first premiership match at Manuka Oval.

The Giants were captained by Phil Davis, who grew up playing at Canberra's Marist College.

But if ever there was a moment for a home-grown hero, it was 19-year-old Bruce's goal that brought a crowd of 9128 – including at least 20 of his family members – to their feet.

"It's unbelieveable, the stars have aligned," Bruce said. "To debut in Canberra, to be a Canberra boy, to kick the first goal – it's a dream come true and I'm over the moon.

"It [the goal] was all a bit of a blur really. I ran back to the contest where Izzy [Israel Folau] laid out about four of their blokes. The ball just bobbed up and I managed to snap it around my body. I'm not so good at the snap so I thought I was going to miss it.

"But I kicked it and – excuse my French – but I lost my shit, I was over the moon. I celebrated, all the boys got around me, it was the perfect start to the game."

And it was a perfect start for the Giants, who are attempting to win over Canberra's AFL supporters.

Bruce arrived in Canberra with the GWS Reserves by bus on Friday afternoon and was supposed to play against his elder brother Aaron in the curtain-raiser to yesterday's AFL match.

But he answered a late SOS when veteran Chad Cornes broke down with a calf injury at training on Friday, chosen to line-up against the Western Bulldogs.

Funnily enough, Aaron Bruce – who was drafted to the Sydney Swans in 2007 – starred by kicking eight goals for Eastlake against the Giants Reserves.

Josh Bruce, who stayed on in Canberra last night to celebrate at a family barbecue, said it was "like Christmas has come all at once".

"It was complete shock when I got the call, it was a whirlwind," Bruce said. "I was so proud of my brother, he managed to kick eight goals. He tore up the Two's and probably would have tore me up too if I'd played against him, he was in form the big fella. It was a great day for the Bruce family.

"Our parents [Christine and Peter] are just bloody proud as punch, it's a great day all round.

"A lot of the Eastlake boys have got a running joke they call me BB – the Better Bruce. It's a bit of a gag they have on Aaron.

"There's no bragging rights, we're both unbelieveably proud of each other and hoping it continues."

A former Canberra Grammar student, Bruce admitted he'd struggled to sleep the night before his debut but he calmed down after some supportive advice from AFL veterans Luke Power and Dean Brogan.

The Bruce boys both played for Eastlake since under 6s and Josh said he'd previously supported the Sydney Swans, only because of his brother's previous alliance.

Finally, Bruce said, the Giants provided a team that Canberra kids could barrack for.

"Coming from Canberra, we've never really had a team to support. Now the're's a team in Western Sydney with Canberra on the back of the jersey, I think it's great," Bruce said.

"The Giants have signed a 10-year deal to play in Canberra, it gives Canberra people a bit of faith that we're not just looking for money or just propping up our football departments like other Melbourne teams may or may not have been doing in the past," Bruce said. "We genuinely want to be here and we genuinely want the support of the Canberra people, they're a very important part of our club."