Graham tipped to follow Bowes’ lead
WHILE one Gold Coast academy graduate is preparing to play his first game on his home deck, the Suns are nurturing another Far North junior towards the AFL system.
Cairns product Jack Bowes, taken at No.10 by the Suns, was the club’s first academy selection in their short history in last year’s draft and he will play his first ever AFL game at Ca- zalys Stadium this Saturday afternoon.
Gold Coast academy manager Jason Torney is not counting his chickens before they hatch but the Suns are quietly confident fellow Saints junior Caleb Graham could join Bowes at the club in coming seasons.
Graham, a 194cm key defender, has moved to the Gold Coast with his family to further his chances of being drafted at the back end of 2018.
The Suns had 10 academy players gain selection in the AFL under-18 Allies squad, with Graham one of two bottom-age players in the squad.
“Caleb has had a tremendous start to his Gold Coast venture,” Torney said.
“In our recent academy series, he stood up with some really good leadership for a guy his age. He takes a good mark, he has great closing speed defensively and uses the ball pretty well.
“He has made a really good transition and he is a really level-headed kid, too.”
He has featured in the Suns’ NEAFL side in 2017 as well as playing in the QAFL for Palm Beach-Currumbin, where he has dabbled playing up forward also.
Far North products Damien Burke and Timakoi Bowie were also named in the Allies squad.
With the senior side travelling to Cairns to play the Western Bulldogs, the Suns will also send their North Queensland academy squad with them this weekend.
Tomorrow, the Suns will host a talent search training at AFL Cape York House from midday to 3pm before playing a game at the same venue the next day from 9am.
“It is about education as well as training in the camp,” Torney said. “We will have 35 players from the 14s to 16s age groups as well as six staff.”