Jett in steep climb
TOWNSVILLE’S Jett Fairbrother is kicking goals at every level after being named to make his Queensland debut at the Australian Football Under- 12 Championships in Canberra.
Jett was a standout for North Queensland at the state titles in Brisbane earlier this month, named captain of the team and awarded the Regional Player of the Championship trophy.
His performances caught the eye of Queensland selectors and now Jett will get the chance to pull on a maroon guernsey at the national championship in the nation’s capital in August.
Jett admitted he was up against some tough competition at the state titles, but he said it was a dream come true to make the Blaze team.
“It feels really, really good. I actually almost cried when I got announced for it,” he said.
“At one stage, I thought yeah maybe ( I could make the team), but then I saw the competition down there and I was kind of questioning it.
“It means a lot. Just playing rep footy is awesome.”
The Blaze side is made up mostly of kids from Brisbane, which means Jett likely won’t get the chance to train with his teammates before the national championships.
He’s hoping to make it to Brisbane for two practice games during the upcoming school holidays, but the keen Aussie rules footballer said he would also keep working hard with his club side the Hermit Park Tigers. “I guess all my footy games will be my training,” he said.
Jett admitted the Canberra weather would be tough to contend with as a North Queenslander, but he said he couldn’t wait to take the field in a Queensland Guernsey for the first time. “It’s going to be freezing. That’s the thing I’m not looking forward to, but apart from that it’ll be awesome,” he said.
Anyone wanting to help Jett on his footy journey can donate at asf. org. au/ athletes/ jett- fairbrother.