Rookie Keenan Ramsey couldn’t have scripted a better occasion to make his Crows debut.

Adelaide’s second pick in last year’s AFL Rookie Draft, Ramsey played his first game for the Club in front of family and friends in his home town of Port Lincoln on Sunday.

A cheer went up when the 18-year-old ran out onto Centenary Oval for the first time in the opening quarter against North Melbourne.

The noise was even louder when he kicked his first goal in the third term. The occasion wasn’t lost on his Crows teammates, who flocked to him to celebrate.

Ramsey also helped set up a goal to fellow Port Lincoln native, Eddie Betts, which sent the 6,000-strong crowd into raptures. He finished with seven possessions and four marks in Adelaide’s 10-point win. Ramsey said it was a significant occasion for him and his family.

“It means a lot. Hopefully, it shows kids from communities like this that you can make it. You just have to put the hard work in and anything is possible,” Ramsey said.

“When I came on to the ground, I heard a bit of an applause. It was pretty overwhelming. But it was good to have everyone out there and it meant a bit to the family.

“It was great to come back here to Port Lincoln with the team. We’ve been working very hard over the pre-season, so it was good to play against an opposition and test ourselves.”

At 192cm, 86kg, Ramsey is a neat-kicking third tall, with the capacity to play at either end of the ground. The Marble Range junior held down a key-defensive post for South Australia at the Under-18 Championships last year, but played predominantly as a forward for the Port Magpies Under-18s.

He lined up in attack on Sunday, and presented well alongside first-time skipper Taylor Walker and tall Josh Jenkins.

“I thought I contributed to the team and played my role,” he said.

“If everyone plays their role, we come away with a win like we did today.

“To get an opportunity to kick a goal as well was fantastic.”

Ramsey’s smooth movement and physical stature prompted comparisons to Walker from onlookers, as well as a Kangaroos opponent.

Even Ramsey’s parents had to double check if the socks were up (Walker) or down (Ramsey) to confirm which strongly-built, dark-haired forward had the ball.

“It’s funny you say that. After the game, Majak Daw said to me, ‘Good game, Tex’. And then realised and said, ‘You’re not Tex’,” Ramsey said with a laugh.

“I might have to start wearing my socks up as well, so it makes it a bit harder for everyone.”

Ramsey was one of five players to make their AFL Crows debut on Sunday.

Fellow rookie Reilly O’Brien was competitive in the ruck, while Jake Kelly did a job in defence.

Sam Siggins, who started forward, showed a bit particularly when moved back in the last quarter, and Harrison Wigg also had moments after starting the game as a substitute.

Ramsey said the hit-out would be invaluable experience for the budding Crows.

“It means everything. This is what you want to do, you want to play AFL games,” he said.

“Even in the NAB Challenge, it’s still pretty hot out there. I think everyone was just over the moon to get that opportunity.

“Training against each other, no one wins. It’s a lot different in an actual game. I thought it was a big step up, just the pace that the ball goes at and everyone puts in that extra 5-10 per cent when you’re playing an opposition because there’s a prize on the end of it.”

Adelaide will remain on the Eyre Peninsula on Monday and Tuesday for the Club’s 2015 Australia Post AFL Community Camp. Ramsey will use the opportunity to visit some familiar faces in the area.

“I’ll go out to my local club and some schools out in Cummins and Elliston. On Tuesday, I’ll hopefully get to St Joseph’s and see some of my old teachers and the younger kids.”