Suns key to Shea hope
Duo aiding Southport signing
HE counts Suns players Darcy Macpherson and Jack Bowes as housemates and Southport Sharks recruit Jamison Shea hopes to use his Queensland stint to push for a place in the AFL.
Shea, 20, has moved north from Victoria after spending two seasons playing for the Western Bulldogs’ VFL affiliate Footscray, where he regularly trained alongside listed players who celebrated an AFL premiership in 2016.
The 192cm tall forward still holds hope of making it on to an AFL list and is currently residing with close friend Macpherson and his Suns teammate Bowes at their Broadbeach home.
Shea moved up in November and said the lessons learnt were paying dividends.
“They are teaching me a lot of life skills in a short amount of time,” Shea said.
“We have a lot of fun together but for a good chunk of time they are getting their one percenters in. They are eating really well seven days a week and are big on pilates and stretching.
“I always jump on board and it has added to my game. They are always happy to lend an ear and provide their thoughts on footy.”
Shea struck up a friendship with Macpherson while both were playing in the TAC Cup with the Northern Knights and he has regularly joined the Suns player during off-season training sessions back in Montmorency.
“When Darcy was home in the off-season he would have a tough program and he would drag me along to sessions because we only lived a few minutes away from each other,” Shea said.
Shea played a handful of games for Footscray in 2017 between his Northern Knights commitments before getting a full-time position with the team last year.
He revealed he turned down an approach from the Sharks to play in their premiership season last year.
“Getting to the AFL is the ultimate goal,” Shea said.
“That is partly the reason behind my move and I also wanted to enjoy my footy this year. I feel like that correlates with how well you play.
“Moving up here indicates to the Suns and other clubs that I’m willing to move out of home and do whatever it takes to get a shot at AFL.”