Bulldog Revolution
11-06-2007, 08:10 PM
Young Bulldogs `right at home'
Andrew Hamilton
June 08, 2007 12:00am
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21867056-5003410,00.html
TWO young Queenslanders who followed unique routes to the AFL will play their first games on "home" soil tomorrow night.
The pair will line up for the Western Bulldogs against the Lions at the Gabba.
When Jarrod Harbrow was a schoolkid, playing AFL occupied his dreams – but reality was regular bone-marrow transplants for his brother and best mate Mark, who was suffering from leukemia.
"He is totally fine. It happened when I was in grade eight and it was a two-year process," Jarrod said. "People say that I saved his life, but I don't see myself as a hero. It was just something that had to be done and I was happy to do it."
Mark recovered enough to return to the football field for South Cairns but bad luck followed him and he is now on crutches after undergoing a knee reconstruction last month. His footy fix now comes through his younger brother.
"He is my biggest fan. We are very close, like most brothers," Jarrod said. "What happened made us a lot closer."
Harbrow was overlooked in the draft but received a life-line from the Bulldogs via the rookie list.
He set himself for a year of hard work with a mission to impress enough on the track and in the VFL to earn a promotion. But an injury to Chris Grant presented him with a chance, and he has grabbed it with both hands.
He now has his chance to play his first game in his home state.
"Being a rookie I thought I'd have no chance of getting a senior game," he said. "But an injury came and I've taken my chances.
"It is very tough in the AFL. You have to earn every kick and I've learnt that everything has to be done at high intensity. There's no time to be lazy.
"But I've adapted really well, fitted into the team pretty well and I think I'm getting the hang of it."
Tom Williams was the one who got away – from the Lions and from rugby league. By all reports he was a stand-out junior league player before switching his attention to Australian football.
His league pedigree is first class; grandfather Barry Maranta was the founding chairman of the Broncos while dad Steve Williams, an inaugural Broncos board member, was a clever five-eighth who represented Queensland.
He was drafted by the Western Bulldogs with pick number six in 2004. The Lions' first pick in that draft was number 18, used to secure ruckman Cameron Wood.
Williams's early years were destroyed by a serious knee injury and this will be his first trip to his home town. His proud grandfather has postponed a business trip to the US to watch him play.
The Lions have recalled speedy forward Ash McGrath and midfielder Marcus Allan, while utility Joel MacDonald also comes into the side for his first game of the season after 12 months on the sidelines with a knee injury. Scott Harding and Chris Schmidt were dropped while co-captain Chris Johnson was unavailable for selection with a foot injury.
Andrew Hamilton
June 08, 2007 12:00am
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21867056-5003410,00.html
TWO young Queenslanders who followed unique routes to the AFL will play their first games on "home" soil tomorrow night.
The pair will line up for the Western Bulldogs against the Lions at the Gabba.
When Jarrod Harbrow was a schoolkid, playing AFL occupied his dreams – but reality was regular bone-marrow transplants for his brother and best mate Mark, who was suffering from leukemia.
"He is totally fine. It happened when I was in grade eight and it was a two-year process," Jarrod said. "People say that I saved his life, but I don't see myself as a hero. It was just something that had to be done and I was happy to do it."
Mark recovered enough to return to the football field for South Cairns but bad luck followed him and he is now on crutches after undergoing a knee reconstruction last month. His footy fix now comes through his younger brother.
"He is my biggest fan. We are very close, like most brothers," Jarrod said. "What happened made us a lot closer."
Harbrow was overlooked in the draft but received a life-line from the Bulldogs via the rookie list.
He set himself for a year of hard work with a mission to impress enough on the track and in the VFL to earn a promotion. But an injury to Chris Grant presented him with a chance, and he has grabbed it with both hands.
He now has his chance to play his first game in his home state.
"Being a rookie I thought I'd have no chance of getting a senior game," he said. "But an injury came and I've taken my chances.
"It is very tough in the AFL. You have to earn every kick and I've learnt that everything has to be done at high intensity. There's no time to be lazy.
"But I've adapted really well, fitted into the team pretty well and I think I'm getting the hang of it."
Tom Williams was the one who got away – from the Lions and from rugby league. By all reports he was a stand-out junior league player before switching his attention to Australian football.
His league pedigree is first class; grandfather Barry Maranta was the founding chairman of the Broncos while dad Steve Williams, an inaugural Broncos board member, was a clever five-eighth who represented Queensland.
He was drafted by the Western Bulldogs with pick number six in 2004. The Lions' first pick in that draft was number 18, used to secure ruckman Cameron Wood.
Williams's early years were destroyed by a serious knee injury and this will be his first trip to his home town. His proud grandfather has postponed a business trip to the US to watch him play.
The Lions have recalled speedy forward Ash McGrath and midfielder Marcus Allan, while utility Joel MacDonald also comes into the side for his first game of the season after 12 months on the sidelines with a knee injury. Scott Harding and Chris Schmidt were dropped while co-captain Chris Johnson was unavailable for selection with a foot injury.