In rapid time, Gold Coaster Jesse Joyce has emerged from obscurity to play six consecutive games with the SUNS senior team.
The second last player taken in the rookie draft made his AFL debut in round 11 against Sydney and hasn’t looked back since, making the most of his opportunity at the elite level.
Joyce’s pathway to the SUNS senior list came after representing Queensland in the under 18 national championships before pulling on the Gold Coast jumper as a member of its NEAFL team in the latter stages of the 2015 season.
It’s a trail being followed by a number of SUNS Academy prospects right now, with each looking to impress the club’s list management team in the hopes of being selected during the November draft period.
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When asked what advice he would give them, Joyce was forthright.
“To seize the moment,” Joyce told SUNS TV.
“Rocket told us that on the weekend just to seize the moment and take every opportunity you get. That was the way I probably ended up getting here last year, just from seizing every game that I played and the last nine games in the NEAFL.
“I’ve heard that Jack Bowes and (Brad) Scheer did really well on the weekend as well as Brayden Crossley. So they are definitely putting their best foot forward at the level and I think that’s going to put them in good stead for the draft.”