JONES’S TOP END RETURN
LIAM Jones has not seen TIO Stadium since 2012 when he was wearing a Western Bulldogs jumper.
On Friday night he will be in the navy blue when Carlton open the AFL’s indigenous round against Gold Coast in Darwin.
“It’s been a long time and I can’t wait, I was rapt when I heard we were going to be up in Darwin to kick off indigenous round,’’ he said.
“And playing in one is great. I’ve been unlucky after missing last year’s indigenous round with concussion and the 2018 game with injury’’.
Carlton is on the edge of the top eight, trailing Melbourne by a game and 23 per cent.
“It’s been an interesting season where we’ve been involved in a lot of close games,’’ Jones said.
“Which leaves us with a fair bit of optimism that we can beat any team and hopefully that continues this week.
“Darwin’s a bit different weather wise and I’ve told Crippa (Patrick Cripps) and Sam Docherty, our two captains, all about it.
“Then we’ve got Eddie (Betts) of course and other good players like Jack Martin who was with the Gold Coast.’’
Jones moved into defence in 2017 and has adjusted to the role with minimal effort.
“I’ve really enjoyed it and the challenge of learning something new,” he said.
“Right now I wouldn’t change it for the world. Being in defence seems to suit me. I can see the game a lot better and what’s developing in front of me.’’
Jones has a lot of family and friends in Darwin after his dad, former St Kilda ruckman Bob Jones, made his home in the Top End in the late 1980s.