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View Full Version : Harbrow determined to shine for Suns



bornadog
07-02-2011, 12:31 PM
Harbrow will be a star this year (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/harbrow-determined-to-shine-for-suns-20110205-1ahr5.html)

JARROD Harbrow's departure from the Western Bulldogs is perhaps the one that has hurt the most at the kennel over the pre-season despite the retirements of Brad Johnson and Nathan Eagleton.

He is 22 and already ripening into a potential match-winner for Gold Coast this season after being enticed back to his home state by the league's 17th team as an uncontracted player last season.

He was taken in the 2007 rookie draft as a young indigenous talent and development project in which he spent plenty of time at the Bulldogs - then VFL affiliate Werribee - being groomed as a classy forward.

Advertisement: Story continues below Harbrow, instead, blossomed into another of Rodney Eade's success stories mid-way through 2009 during a move from forward to a playmaker role in defence.

He excelled on the scene with strong bursts and delivered in spades throughout last season; in which he was supposedly distracted through contract talks between the Suns and his management.

''Most of the talking was between my management and the Gold Coast and they left me out of it because I wanted to concentrate on playing footy,'' Harbrow said.

''They gave me an opportunity to play AFL football and the coaches and players, I got along with, and I gave as much as I could back to the club. They knew in the end that I wanted to head back to Queensland because of family and all that.

''I knew that my heart was always in Queensland so I knew that I always wanted to finish footy up here and the new Gold Coast club itself was really exciting and played a big part in me coming to the Gold Coast as well,''

He said the move into defence at the Bulldogs helped shape his career as he became one of most dangerous attacking defenders in the game through his scintillating pace.

''When I was playing a small forward role, my main role was to tackle and chase and apply defensive pressure and try and kick goals when I could,'' he said. ''But I found that going down back, I had a bit more freedom to run and carry and use the skills that I had and match up with the smaller forwards. Run and carry is something that I have always had in my game but I just built confidence to be able to back myself and go for those runs.''

The move home - he grew up in Cairns - appears to have helped Harbrow mature. He left a household in the western suburbs of Melbourne living with fellow indigenous Bulldogs Josh Hill and ex-teammate Malcolm Lynch to moved into a new house in Southport with his long-term girlfriend Emma.

He underwent shoulder surgery over the pre-season but has returned to training with the ambition of playing at least one NAB Cup game before the Suns's season-opener in round two against Carlton.

''I reckon I have [matured],'' he said. "It's pretty serious when you move in. You have to manage your time right and you're not just worried about yourself any more. You've got a partner that you have to look after. She's [Emma] very settled up here and she's working and loves it up here as well,'' he said.

He is now looking to unleash in the midfield and provide a strong rebound from defence after the Bulldogs' hierarchy provided the grounding work to his rising career.

''Hopefully I can play more time in the midfield here but obviously we've got a really good midfield here and I think I'm probably suited down back a bit more but long term I'd like to play consistently in the midfield.''

Scraggers
07-02-2011, 12:55 PM
Hope he plays well, just not against us ... what do they say in acting circles; Break a leg??

Remi Moses
07-02-2011, 01:24 PM
Who ?

chef
07-02-2011, 01:34 PM
I'm still pissed off that he's left our club and hope he has no success up there.

Bulldog Revolution
07-02-2011, 02:15 PM
He will play well

A very good footballer, and im still disappointed with the compensation we received compared to others - there isn't a single team in the competition that would have traded Harbrow for Campbell Brown

soupman
07-02-2011, 03:38 PM
He will play well

A very good footballer, and im still disappointed with the compensation we received compared to others - there isn't a single team in the competition that would have traded Harbrow for Campbell Brown

Hawthorn probably would have.;)

LostDoggy
07-02-2011, 03:47 PM
Wish him all the best, and will cheer for him when we play the GC Suns —*right up to the first bounce, then he's the enemy…

AndrewP6
07-02-2011, 08:44 PM
I'm still pissed off that he's left our club and hope he has no success up there.

Part of me agrees, part of me says "He didn't want to be a Bulldog, his loss. He wanted to take the money and run" Like most other opposition players, I don't wish him any success. I hope his team finishes stone motherless last, and he's on holiday from the beginning of September. Now, back to thinking about our team, and the blokes who want to be there.

bornadog
07-02-2011, 11:12 PM
I'm still pissed off that he's left our club and hope he has no success up there.

Yep, I am with you.

Ghost Dog
08-02-2011, 03:49 AM
Honestly, what do you expect? Queenslander moves back to Queensland, so it goes.

Let's hope his effort in 2010 inspires whoever fills his shoes to go one better than him. He set the pace for the HB line for an entire season. Jordan Lewis agrees.
Maybe the WB can take something away from Jarrod Harbrow. In particular his competitive spirit.

Good luck to him as he fullfills his individual potential while we fullfill ours as a team.

Bulldog Joe
08-02-2011, 08:24 AM
Well he set a standard for run from the back.

What the Doggies need is for Easton Wood to step into the breech and provide the run with more penetrating kicking and superior defensive work. We will then cover the departure (not loss) of Harbrow and be a better side.

I wish Harbrow personal success, just not premiership success with his new club, until the Doggies at least bag one or two flags.

Mofra
08-02-2011, 09:30 AM
What the Doggies need is for Easton Wood to step into the breech and provide the run with more penetrating kicking and superior defensive work. We will then cover the departure (not loss) of Harbrow and be a better side.
I don't think Easton can cover the rebound by himself (not for a few seasons yet anyway), however Murphy's permanent switch back will mean the load is shared.

If Howard can get his leg-cannon ready for senior AFL this year we will look dangerous on the rebound.

Bulldog Joe
08-02-2011, 02:00 PM
I don't think Easton can cover the rebound by himself (not for a few seasons yet anyway), however Murphy's permanent switch back will mean the load is shared.

If Howard can get his leg-cannon ready for senior AFL this year we will look dangerous on the rebound.

Harbrow did arrive from practically nowhere, when he was reinstated in Canberra after being dropped for his poor defensive effort on Matthew Stokes.

Wood has all the tools and has shown an intention to take the game on a few times. With the experience of last year and another pre-season he could really be the BIG improver.

LostDoggy
08-02-2011, 03:10 PM
Jarrod will go well & I wish him the best, but a little part of me hopes that he's injured when due to play us, although I love watching him play

LostDoggy
14-02-2011, 04:20 PM
''Most of the talking was between my management and the Gold Coast and they left me out of it because I wanted to concentrate on playing footy,'' Harbrow said.


I don't really care about the move one way or another, but am interested in this bit of the article.

Surely this is the first instance of a player admitting to having open contract talks while still in contract (and playing) with another team? I thought that you were only allowed to have contract talks in designated trade periods unless you are out of contract, so isn't this a clear breach of AFL rules (although we know how malleable these are)? We know it happens but no one has been dumb enough to openly admit to it. If it is a clear admission of guilt we should hit GC, the AFL and Jarrod with everything we can, just to push our weight around against these new big clubs.

LostDoggy
14-02-2011, 04:59 PM
Well he set a standard for run from the back.

What the Doggies need is for Easton Wood to step into the breech and provide the run with more penetrating kicking and superior defensive work. We will then cover the departure (not loss) of Harbrow and be a better side.

I wish Harbrow personal success, just not premiership success with his new club, until the Doggies at least bag one or two flags.

Harbrow did set the standard for run from the back but his disposal was less than the adequate as was his ability to compete in the air.

Wood has the pace to run from defence with the same sport of flair. Whilst his disposal is not elite either, his ability to compete in the air and one on one is far better than that of Harbrow. His body mass allows him to be stronger over the ball.

I believe Wood will cover his loss admirably.

Ghost Dog
14-02-2011, 08:04 PM
Harbrow did set the standard for run from the back but his disposal was less than the adequate as was his ability to compete in the air.

Wood has the pace to run from defence with the same sport of flair. Whilst his disposal is not elite either, his ability to compete in the air and one on one is far better than that of Harbrow. His body mass allows him to be stronger over the ball.

I believe Wood will cover his loss admirably.

Wait and see I guess.

soupman
14-02-2011, 08:39 PM
I don't really care about the move one way or another, but am interested in this bit of the article.

Surely this is the first instance of a player admitting to having open contract talks while still in contract (and playing) with another team? I thought that you were only allowed to have contract talks in designated trade periods unless you are out of contract, so isn't this a clear breach of AFL rules (although we know how malleable these are)? We know it happens but no one has been dumb enough to openly admit to it. If it is a clear admission of guilt we should hit GC, the AFL and Jarrod with everything we can, just to push our weight around against these new big clubs.

But would we really gain anything out of this? Basically it would put us in a shit fight over an issue that in the great scheme of everything doesn't matter too much. I'm fine if other clubs wish to pursue it, but I'm not even sure it matters that much and it would be a distraction we wouldn't need.

Dancin' Douggy
15-02-2011, 12:18 AM
I do not wish him, or anyone who plays for any other team, the best.
I wish him and every other player and club in the league, THE WORST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LostDoggy
15-02-2011, 01:50 AM
Dancin' Douggy, if this were Facebook, I would click "like" on your post.

LostDoggy
15-02-2011, 08:39 AM
Here here DD and Soph. I hope he gets cleaned up, legally, early against us and suffers a severe corky :)

KT31
15-02-2011, 09:39 AM
Harbrow has made his choice.
He is not a Dog now, so if I'm watching him play against anyone else bar the Dogs, I will admire his brilliance and quietly stew.
But he is now the enemy and will enjoy seeing hit by a couple of really solid , legal bumps.

LostDoggy
15-02-2011, 10:17 AM
But would we really gain anything out of this? Basically it would put us in a shit fight over an issue that in the great scheme of everything doesn't matter too much. I'm fine if other clubs wish to pursue it, but I'm not even sure it matters that much and it would be a distraction we wouldn't need.

There's a reason that no one else has been dumb enough to admit guilt -- the threat of legal action. If someone actually slips up and no one follows through, we may as well rip up the rulebook and declare free agency today.

The point isn't so much whether it matters -- the point is that as a legal entity one has to use all means at our disposal to protect our interests. We don't know at this point if it will even end up a 'shit fight' -- the AFL may well just shoot some hush money across, I mean, agree to a settlement, but to not even look into it would be derelict.

Having said all that, I'm not actually 100% sure re: the actual wording of the trade rules around the black hole that is GC17 and GWS (I'm not sure anyone is except Scotty Clayton!) where it seems that new rules emerge every week as and when suits the powers that be.

ReLoad
15-02-2011, 06:30 PM
One of his shoulders is almost kaput, and will continue to cause him issues for the rest of his career, one good whack and its going to go again.

Great player for us I think in the short term we will feel some pain, we are going to have grow with Easton, he will make mistakes etc, but in the long term I think his loss wont make a huge difference.

I'll also totally contradict my above points by saying we were 5% off being a grand finalist last year, would a player like a fit Harbrow in our team give us the 5% we need?