The Gold Coast SUNS were strongly represented at the AFL Indigenous All Stars Camp last week with four players featuring in the fixture against the West Coast Eagles, as well as assistant coach Andy Lovell coaching the side.
In front of a sell-out crowd of more than 10,000 people at Perth’s Medibank Stadium, Lovell’s men were overrun by eight points in a low scoring affair against a youthful Eagles outfit.
Jarrod Harbrow’s leadership within the club is renowned with the education and direction he provides the young playing group revered. The 26-year-old was appointed vice-captain of the All Stars, an honour indicative of his standing in the game.
“Jarrod Harbrow was named vice-captain of the team which was a great honour for him; a real vote of confidence from his peers,” Lovell told SUNS TV.
“He was outstanding, he was probably our second best player behind our captain Shaun Burgoyne. He played inside midfield, rested forward a bit too, (he was) just fantastic (and) his ability to win ball in tight and his evasiveness was really hard for them to lay a hand on him.”
Young trio Jack Martin, Sean Lemmens and Jarrod Garlett all played in the match.
Lovell was pleased with the output of all three emerging young SUNS, in particularly Martin who drew widespread praise for not only his performance in the game, but his overall efforts throughout the camp.
“Jack Martin was another one who played extremely well. He played everywhere to be honest, he was inside mid, he played wing, he played half-forward and he covered for us at half-back for a little bit too,” Lovell said.
“He did some really special things. We know he’s only a young player but he showed some really good signs.
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“Seanny Lemmens played across half-back and part of the issue that we had was we didn’t have a lot of tall defenders – or tall forwards for that matter.
“So poor Seanny was lining up against Scott Lycett, one of the West Coast ruckmen at some point and [Jeremy] McGovern one of their taller forwards as a defender so he was a bit outsized to say the least.
“But he did a terrific job. He was really competitive and he rebounded really strongly off half-back.”
He is yet to play a senior game, but Garlett quickly demonstrated his willingness to harass the opposition in the exhibition game. The prodigious talent arrived on the Gold Coast late last November with a large appetite for the contest and he proved to Lovell his thirst for hunting the ball carrier.
“One of our first round draft picks from last years draft had an opportunity to play as well. Some of his chase down tackles and pressure was really pleasing for us because he came with big wraps on his defensive pressure and he showed glimpses of that,” Lovell said.
“He’s an exciting young player, he’s got some real talent so a really good opportunity to get a taste of what senior footy may look like in the weeks ahead when the AFL seasons start.”
