Cairns Suns rising through the ranks
AFTER playing eight games for the Gold Coast Suns in his debut season with the club last year, Cairns product Jacob Heron wants to keep that number ticking over in 2019.
The 19-year-old was yesterday back in his Far North hometown, with fellow Suns player and Cairns junior Caleb Graham, to visit school students as part of the 2019 AFL Community Camp.
The dynamic small forward, who carries the nickname “Speedy” and has been likened to Western Bulldogs flyer and Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen, called his eight games at the nation’s top level an “unreal experience”.
“(It was) a dream come true,” Heron said.
“(I’m) forever grateful and I can’t wait for this year as well.”
He said the goal this year would be to play as many games as possible.
“I’d be happy (to play) the whole season, but I’ll just strive for as many as I can,” he said.
“Hopefully that will be more than last year.”
In November 2018, Heron was joined at the club by fellow Cairns product Graham, after the 18-year-old was selected by the Suns as the 71st pick in the AFL Draft.
“I played a bit of junior footy with Caleb,” said Heron.
“To see him come through the ranks, move down and make it on the (Suns’ senior) list is an awesome thing for him and for Cairns footy as well.”
Heron and Graham both moved to the Gold Coast in 2017 to chase their AFL dreams.
“I actually lived with him,” said Heron.
“We’ve always been really close and I try to be as supportive as I can for him.”
Graham said his focus for the 2019 season was to play as consistently as possible.
“I think that’s the whole team vibe,” he said.
“As a team, we just want to have a consistent year – not having those big spikes and low drops.
“We just want to be consistent over the year and that’s what I personally want to do as well.”
Graham will hope to make his AFL debut for the club this season, with teammate Heron believing it could be sooner rather than later.
“He’s a really good player,” he said.
“He’s brand new to the system, but he’s not far off. I think he’ll get a game soon.”
When asked, Graham was modest about his chances.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said.