Rising Sun settles in nicely

You can take the boy out of the Cairns, but you cannot take the Cairns out of the boy. First-year Gold Coast Sun and Cairns Saints junior Jacob Heron (above) was back in the North at the weekend to help launch ticket sales for his club’s Round 1 clash against North Melbourne at Cazalys Stadium. Taken in the rookie draft late last year, Heron is just finishing up his first preseason as an AFL player and has been taken under the wing by a fellow Far North junior on the Gold Coast.

can take the boy out of Cairns, but you cannot take the Cairns out of the boy.

First-year Gold Coast Sun and Cairns Saints junior Jacob Heron was back in the Far North at the weekend to help launch ticket sales for his club’s Round 1 clash against North Melbourne at Cazalys Stadium.

Taken in the rookie draft late last year, Heron is just finishing up his first preseason as an AFL player and has been taken under the wing by a fellow Far North junior on the Gold Coast.

The Suns have plenty of experienced players, such as David Swallow, Pearce Hanley, Jack Martin and Michael Rischitelli, but it is another AFL Cairns junior that Heron is looking to emulate.

South Cairns Cutters junior and inaugural Gold Coast Sun, Jarrod Harbrow, who has played over 100 games for the club, is teaching Heron how to be a professional in the AFL.

“I have probably spent the most time around and trying to learn from Cairns boy Jarrod Harbrow,” Heron said.

“I look up to him, follow what he does and try copy him.

“He has been in the system for a long while and is a very good player. Hopefully I can be as good as him one day.”

Rookie Suns coach Stuart Dew, who took over from Rodney Eade late in 2017, has encouraged Heron to use his speed and foot skills during his first season at the elite level.

The Suns open their 2018 campaign on Saturday in the AFL’s new adventure, AFLX – a seven-a-side game played as a pre-season event – before returning to North Queensland for their first preseason game proper in Townsville.

Heron, nicknamed Speedy for his quickness, is aiming to play against Geelong in Townsville next month to push his chances to debut at Cazalys Stadium in Round 1 against North Melbourne.

“I am training as hard as I can to give myself the best opportunity,” Heron said.

“It is tough, obviously I do not get to choose the team but I would love to (play soon).

“Playing in Townsville in a few weeks would be great and hopefully play as many games this season as possible.

North Melbourne play the Suns at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday, March 24, at 6.25pm.

Heron, a category B rookie list selection, is the second Far North Queenslander to be drafted by the Suns in as many years, with Jack Bowes taken in the first round of the 2016 draft.

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