A famous son is back
Harbrow to don old jersey as Hawks take on Tigers
The round 3 clash between the Manunda Hawks and North Cairns Tigers has been labelled by AFL Cairns as the “match of the round” as a beloved son returns home.
The Hawks will welcome off-season recruit Jarrod Harbrow for his first senior game in the Far North league since he retired from the AFL.
Harbrow played his junior football at both the Hawks and South Cairns Cutters, including one senior game for the Cutters before being drafted in 2007 to the Western Bulldogs.
The 262-game veteran said it was great to be back.
“I always wanted to come back to Cairns once I finished my career and looking forward to doing it for the Hawks,” Harbrow said.
“It is great to be able to come back to a club I played my junior footy at and give back to them and the community.
“To be able to put the boots back on and run out onto Cazalys again for the Hawks is what I am really pumped about. The focus is always to get the win but if I can help anyone at the club then that is also a win.”
Playing with the Bulldogs between 2007-2010, Harbrow played 70 games before joining the Gold Coast Suns for their inaugural season in 2011.
The 2018 club champion played 192 games for the Suns, including the first player to muster 100 games for the new club.
He also was the first player to play 150 games for the Suns, with the club awarding him life membership.
In 2021 and after 262 games, Harbrow retired from the AFL and took up the role as the Indigenous Programs Lead at the Gold Coast Suns.
“Cairns has always been my home, so to be able to return and play some footy is something I always was going to do,” Harbrow said.
“It was just a matter of do I go to the Hawks or the Cutters, because I played juniors at both clubs.
“Went to the Hawks because it always held a special place for me, my brother has trained a few times this season.
“His knee is still pretty shot so don’t know if he would get up for a game together but we will see how we go.”
The Harbrow brothers created Harbrow Mentoring in 2010, a program that assists young people and their communities through the influences of health, education and employment.
The Hawks are coming off a 58-point loss to the Crocs last Saturday, while the Tigers are coming off a four-day break with their win over the Cutters on Tuesday’s Anzac Day.
Their clash is held at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday, April 29. Bounce is at 2.30, with a strong crowd expected.