Suns defender ignores basic instinct
JACK Leslie is defying his natural instincts in the quest of improvement as he ponders his future in footy.
The tall defender’s first five seasons at the Gold Coast Suns have been a slow burn.
Leslie has 24 games to his name after spending the ma- jority of his time at the Queensland club stuck behind established defenders Rory Thompson and Steven May.
The 23-year-old has been forced to wait for injury or suspensions to either of his teammates but fortunately for him, it’s a common thing.
Leslie showed he was up to the grade in 2017, playing 13 games and showing his quality through his ability to read the ball and take intercept marks.
But that has all changed in 2018 under coach Stuart Dew’s philosophy of an 18-man defence, with Leslie instructed to start behind the shoulder of his direct opponent.
“I have had to change it up a bit from last year,” Leslie said.
“The change is about having the whole team defend. It means if (an opponent) is pushing up the ground they have to come through pretty much all 18 of us rather than it breaking down and having it go out the back.”
Leslie is off contract at the end of the season but said he was in no rush to do a deal.