Harris earns a shot at goal
Troy Clarke award opens up prospects with Suns
THE first ever Cairns-based Troy Clarke Scholarship winner is putting the award to positive use, with Cairns Saints flyer Austin Harris relocating to the Gold Coast to chase his AFL dream.
The AFL Queenslandfunded Troy Clarke Scholarship, named after the South Cairns product who passed away in 2013, is designed to support a young person from regional Queensland each year.
The scholarship, awarded to Trinity Bay SHS student Harris last year, recognises those who display the dedication, passion and respect that Clarke demonstrated throughout his life.
The hardworking midfielder departed Cairns yesterday and is set to live with a host family on the Gold Coast, which was organised by the Suns as part of their academy.
“The scholarship will really help with my relocation, school fees, footy fees and bits and pieces to help along so it is more comfortable for my mum and dad,” Harris said.
AFL Queensland CEO Dean Warren said the Saints product had a promising future.
“Austin is a worthy recipient of our Troy Clarke Scholarship. Not only is he a rising star of our game, but truly embodies the values that Troy lived by,” Warren said.
“We look forward to playing a part in Austin’s development as a footballer.”
He will follow the exact plan as Jacob Heron and Caleb Graham, who have been picked up the last two years, attending Palm Beach Currumbin SHS while training with the Suns academy.
“Hopefully, I can follow in their footsteps,” Harris said.
Harris will have AFL as a subject at school, attending the PBC Sports Excellence Program, which is an elite training and coaching program for gifted sporting students.
He made his senior debut for Saints in 2018 and has two more years of under age football before he will become draft eligible.
Harris will complete his final two years of his high school on the Gold Coast to become a permanent part of the Suns academy – just as Jack Bowes, Heron and Graham did before him.
AFL Cairns products Alex Davies, Michael Selsby, Kitara Farrar and Tiarna Ahwang will also move south this season to chase their footy dreams.