High praise for Bowes
Day says rookie ticking all the right boxes
INJURED Gold Coast big man Sam Day has given Cairns Saints junior Jack Bowes his stamp of approval just over a month into his first season in the AFL.
Day, who will likely miss most of the 2017 season after dislocating his right hip earlier this season, is in the Far North to help launch ticket sales in Cairns for the Round 18 Western Bulldogs and Suns clash at Cazlays Stadium. He was joined by Bulldog Roarke Smith as the pair saw the sights of the region as well as the Great Barrier Reef yesterday before this morning launching ticket sales at the Cairns Esplanade.
The key position player speaks highly of Bowes, just five games into his journey at the elite level.
“Bowesy is super,” Day said.
“I can’t say enough about the bloke.
“He has been a sponge over the preseason and taken everything in and I think everyone is seeing that out on the field.
“He is fitting in well to the structure of the footy club and his work rate is elite.
“I am really excited about what he will be able to do in the team.
“He is mobile and athletic and can play anywhere on the field.”
The first-year midfielder is averaging almost 12 touches over his first five games.
The 197cm Day was injured late in the first quarter of the Suns’ 24-point JLT Community Series win over Brisbane, when his right foot stuck in the turf as he contested a ball with Lions defender Jack Frost.
Day suffered some bone damage in the incident, with his injury more common among car crash victims than footballers.
He said he was tracking along well in his rehab and was keen to see the Suns topple the reigning premiers in Cairns in July.
“We have not beaten the Bulldogs up here in Cairns so it would be good to get one in 2017,” Day said.
“The Bulldogs have got the wood over us every time we have come up.
“Hopefully we can make Cairns a little bit of a fortress and a home away from home.
“Hopefully we can get the win later on in the year and then push on to finals if we are in that position.”
An AFL Premiership match will be held for the seventh straight year in Round 18, July 22, at 4.25pm at Cazaly Stadium Cairns between the Bulldogs and Suns.