Clinical Davis a star in victory

ANDREW Ireland Medal winner Ryan Davis knew Southport were building throughout the 2019 season and yesterday they put the roof on.

Davis was a leader and source of inspiration all season for the Sharks and the halfback was clinical in Southport’s NEAFL grand final win over the Sydney Swans at Fankhauser Reserve.

The performance by the man from Sydney, who has gone across the country and back before winning a flag in Queensland, earned him the best-on-ground honour. “It’s unreal,” Davis said. “At the start of the year we didn’t picture this. We just wanted to scrape into the finals and make our way from there.

“The belief just grew every time we came together. Every time we went out on the track we just got better and better and this is a just reward for the boys.”

Davis grew up in Sydney before joining the West Coast Eagles, where he spent two seasons.

He was delisted and played in the WAFL before joining the Gold Coast Suns, where he played another two years to take his AFL games tally to 35.

The 29-year-old joined Southport at the end of last year, linking up with former Suns NEAFL coach Stephen Daniel, who wanted to bring on Davis to be a player and coach for the team.

Davis spent most of his time at the Suns playing in the forward line but has been a key cog in Southport’s defence, organising his teammates while being able to win one-on-one contests and take intercept marks.

Davis was one of 26 new faces on the list in 2018 and praised the team’s ability to come together and adapt to a new game plan.

“It was an entirely new game plan so it was always going to take time,” Davis said.

“The way we adapted to it, we got on a roll and after the first few rounds we thought we

EVERY TIME WE WENT OUT ON THE TRACK WE JUST GOT BETTER AND BETTER AND THIS IS A JUST REWARD FOR THE BOYS SHARKS LEADER RYAN DAVIS

might have something to build on.

“We kept building all year and (yesterday) we put the roof on.

“We have got some tremendous defenders down there and if I’m able to help them set up it’s super.

“A lot of the time the guys help me out by taking my bloke and letting me go free.

“There has been so much growth in our back six, midfield and forward line.”

Davis has already re-signed for the 2019 season, when the Sharks will aim to win back-toback premierships.