The 19-year-old will make his first grade debut for Wagga RSL on Saturday just months after contracting meningococcal.

Carey was set to play in the Riverina League elimination final for Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes before pulling out what he thought was a bout of food poisoning.

However things took a much more serious turn.

"I was getting ready to play footy and woke up on the Sunday morning and thought I had a bit of food poisoning," Carey said.

"I got really sick throughout the day, wasn't able to play footy and later that night I could barely move so they took me to hospital and was diagnosed pretty quickly with meningococcal and things went from there.

"I had little splotches all over my body - legs, arms, chest, back - and they all went away, but the circulation cut off to a few of the fingertips, similar to frostbite.

"I had to get the tips of three fingers amputated."

The teenager hasn't let it affect him.

"I'm pretty lucky," Carey said. "It could have been a lot worse."

Carey is set to move to Melbourne to study business at university, although he struggles to write for long periods of time with his right hand, but first he will line up for the Bulldogs.

He made 67 not out in his sole second grade appearance before being ushered into the side to tackle South Wagga at Wagga Cricket Ground on Saturday.

The 19-year-old has managed to adapt to play cricket, but it's not without its challenges.

"Batting it is not too bad - I can still hold the bat pretty similar - so that's fine, but fielding is a bit different," Carey said. "When the ball comes to me it hurts a bit to field, but I've gotten used to it."

After previously playing first grade with Lake Albert, where he was part of their 2015-16 premiership, Carey made the move to the Bulldogs looking to play alongside close mate Ethan Perry.

Bulldogs captain Sam Perry has been impressed with his resilience.

"It's an amazing feat really," Perry said.

"From where he was to come back and play the side who might potentially wins the premiership is pretty big.

"He had a good hit in twos a few weeks ago, which was promising, but we knew it was coming as when he was at Lake Albert he was a talent.

"It is very exciting to see how he goes."

Carey also intends to get back on the footy field, although it won't be with the Goannas this season.

"I've got my two brothers down in Melbourne so I'll play with them," he said.

"Footy should be fine, it might just take a bit to adapt to the marking and the tackling."

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