SUNS EYE FAR NORTH STARS
Bowes, Harbrow ‘to make the difference’ Crusaders win against odds
THE Gold Coast Suns’ Cairns combination of Jack Bowes and Jarrod Harbrow may prove the difference when they take on North Melbourne at Cazalys with utility Alex Sexton backing the duo to stand out in front of their home crowd this weekend.
Sexton said the ground’s wayward breeze and brutal heat can be a nightmare for players not used to Cairns conditions but nominated the duo to make the most of the Saturday night season opener on their home deck.
With Pearce Hanley to miss at least the opening month of the season, the Suns utility said Harbrow in particular would play a crucial role marshalling the Suns’ revamped defence.
“We know it’s always blowing one way in Cairns,” Sexton said of the famous Cazalys breeze. “But (regardless) I think Jarrod plays a really important role for us.
“He’s generally a good gauge for how we’re going as a footy team. He’s probably underrated outside of our footy club but I don’t think that sort of thing worries him.
“He’s mentored a lot of players that have come through our club and he’s as humble a person as you could meet.”
First round draft pick Bowes is expected to play a role on the wing for the Suns this year, with the Cairns Saints junior likely to exploit the wide-open expanses of Cazalys.
“Jack’s worked extremely hard in the weight room and tweaked little aspects of his game,” Sexton said.
“I’m excited to see how he goes. He showed glimpses last year that he can be a very important player for us.”
Incidentally, Harbrow’s older brother, Marc, coaches the Manunda Hawks who play and train at Cazalys every week in the AFL Cairns competition. But the coach said the home ground knowledge his younger sibling would have gained playing on Cazalys as a junior wouldn’t be a factor on Saturday night.
“Jarrod won’t think about the conditions once and I don’t think the other players should either,” the elder Harbrow said. “I’m sure anywhere in Australia there’s wind. They should be thinking about maintaining possession and using the footy effectively. It’s 100 per cent mental.
“I’m sure players hear the words Cairns and they think ‘hot’, ‘humidity’ with a chance of rain. But in Victoria, they play in mud, sleet and hail so it shouldn’t be a factor.”
The Suns haven’t won in Cairns since 2012 when code hopper Karmichael Hunt kicked a set shot after the siren to win the game against Richmond. Since then, they’ve lost five consecutive Far North fixtures and Sexton said it was high-time the club treated their Cairns fans to a win.
“We have a great support base throughout the north and we feel a strong connection to the region,” he said.
editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost