Ex-Falcon had more to give
The Suns had a kid keen to stay and build a career, they told him he was going well, then axed him after a year
DELISTED defender Josh Jaska says he struggles to comprehend why the Gold Coast Suns wanted to get rid of a player who was keen to stay.
The 2017 premiership-winning Geelong Falcon was on the Suns’ rookie list this year and played half a season in the NEAFL before injuring ligaments in his wrist.
The key defender, 20, said he felt he was starting to prove himself and wanted to remain at the club, but was shocked when the Suns told him they would not be offering him another contract.
It is understood list manager Craig Cameron, who joined the Suns from GWS Giants after last year’s draft, is looking to take the list in a different direction.
“Seeing how many people want to leave, I thought, ‘You’ve got someone here that wants to stay and you’re getting rid of them’,” Jaska told the Geelong Advertiser.
“That was the bit I was a bit backward about — I was keen and got along with pretty much everyone up there.
“I felt like I was doing everything that I could possibly do to stay up there (and earn) another year to prove myself.
“But there’s not much you can really say when you’ve been told you’ll be out the door.”
Jaska — an Anglesea product — said he mixed some good and bad games in his half a season at state level, but had added 8kg to his 193cm frame and had been told by coach Stuart Dew that he was ticking all the boxes.
“I thought, from what I’d been told by the coaches and all the staff, I was doing pretty much everything right to get another contract, but it just didn’t go my way in the end,” he said.
“Going up, I got told by the recruiters that I’m not just a one-year thing, it’ll be two or three to prove yourself and get used to the environment.
“And being the body shape I am, I had to put on weight — which I did, I put on 8kg. So I was shocked and I didn’t really have any indication it was coming either. They just said they didn’t have the time to develop me, really.”
Jaska said he would have to start his AFL dream again “from scratch”.
“If I’m any chance, it will probably be back through the draft, but I’m putting plans in place now to give it a crack again, whether that’s VFL or signing with a GFL club,” he said.
“In the next few weeks, I’ll have a clearer indication of what my future could hold.”