Jarrod Harbrow
Encyclopedia
Jarrod Harbrow is a professional Australian rules football
er in the Australian Football League
currently contracted to the Gold Coast Suns.
. His indigenous ancestry can be traced to the Yirrganydji, a rainforest tribe in Far North Queensland
. He grew up in the town of Cairns
, in Queensland
and began playing junior football with the Manunda Hawks and then the South Cairns in the AFL Cairns
competition.
During his teenage years, he moved up and down between his father's town of Mooroopna, Victoria and Queensland and gave his brother bone marrow to survive leukemia
.
Harbrow represented the state at both the AFL National Under 16 Championships and AFL National Under 18 Championships
both sides winning the respective division titles.
In 2005 he returned to Victoria where he played for the Mooroopna Football Club before joining the TAC Cup
side the Murray Bushrangers
in a bid to nominate for the AFL. He was overlooked in the 2006 AFL Draft
, however had already attracted the attention of AFL talent scouts Peter Dean
and Scott Clayton
.
, Harbrow was picked up by the Bulldogs in the 2007 rookie draft.
Following only a short time in development playing for the Bulldogs VFL
affiliate Werribee
, Harbrow was called up for his AFL debut against the Richmond Tigers in Round 4, 2007.
He has since become a senior regular and impressed with his pace, skill, defensive pressure and evasive running abilities.
In 2009 after struggling to get a game in the first few weeks of the season, he was thrown into defence against North Melbourne
. Since then he has been among the Bulldogs best most weeks and has become a regular senior player. He has had many highlights in 2009 and has shut down some of the leagues best small forwards, including Matthew Campbell
, Stephen Milne
, Brad Dick
, and Mathew Stokes
.
At the conclusion of the 2010 season, the Bulldogs confirmed Jarrod would be the newest uncontracted player to join the Gold Coast Suns. Jarrod wasted no time with the announcement to football world coming just days after the Bulldogs loss to St Kilda in the preliminary final. After being the subject of much speculation all year, the lure of returning home to Queensland proved too strong despite the Bulldogs best efforts to retain the rebounding damaging defender.
Jarrod was the fifth uncontracted player from an AFL club to join the Suns.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
currently contracted to the Gold Coast Suns.
Early life
Harbrow was born in Cairns to an Indigenous Australian mother and father from Mooroopna, VictoriaMooroopna, Victoria
Mooroopna is a rural town located north of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the banks of the Goulburn River opposite the larger town of Shepparton. The Midland Highway crosses the river between the two towns...
. His indigenous ancestry can be traced to the Yirrganydji, a rainforest tribe in Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
. He grew up in the town of Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
, in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and began playing junior football with the Manunda Hawks and then the South Cairns in the AFL Cairns
AFL Cairns
The Australian Football League Cairns is a semi-professional Australian rules football league that includes clubs from the Cairns region in Queensland, Australia...
competition.
During his teenage years, he moved up and down between his father's town of Mooroopna, Victoria and Queensland and gave his brother bone marrow to survive leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
.
Harbrow represented the state at both the AFL National Under 16 Championships and AFL National Under 18 Championships
AFL National Under 18 Championships
The NAB AFL Under 18 Championships are the annual national Australian rules football championships for players aged 18 years or younger. The competition is seen as one of the main pathways towards being drafted into a team in the fully professional Australian Football League...
both sides winning the respective division titles.
In 2005 he returned to Victoria where he played for the Mooroopna Football Club before joining the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
side the Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers is an Australian rules football team playing in TAC Cup since 1993 based in Wangaratta. The team trains in WJ Findlay Oval. The team is coached by Darren Ogier...
in a bid to nominate for the AFL. He was overlooked in the 2006 AFL Draft
2006 AFL Draft
The 2006 AFL Draft is a recent national draft of the Australian Football League. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League....
, however had already attracted the attention of AFL talent scouts Peter Dean
Peter Dean (footballer)
Peter Dean is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Blues from 1984 to 1998 as a defender. From South Bendigo, Dean won 2 premierships with Carlton, in 1987 and 1995. After retiring, Dean was also a runner for the Blues.-External links:*...
and Scott Clayton
Scott Clayton
Scott Clayton is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League during the 1980s....
.
AFL career
Drafted as a rookieRookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
, Harbrow was picked up by the Bulldogs in the 2007 rookie draft.
Following only a short time in development playing for the Bulldogs VFL
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
affiliate Werribee
Werribee Football Club
The Werribee Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club, based in Werribee, was formed in 1965 and currently plays in the Victorian Football League. Werribee was defeated by the Sandringham Football Club in the 2005 VFL Grand Final.-History:The Werribee Football Club...
, Harbrow was called up for his AFL debut against the Richmond Tigers in Round 4, 2007.
He has since become a senior regular and impressed with his pace, skill, defensive pressure and evasive running abilities.
In 2009 after struggling to get a game in the first few weeks of the season, he was thrown into defence against North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
. Since then he has been among the Bulldogs best most weeks and has become a regular senior player. He has had many highlights in 2009 and has shut down some of the leagues best small forwards, including Matthew Campbell
Matt Campbell (Australian footballer)
Matt Campbell is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing with the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League....
, Stephen Milne
Stephen Milne
Stephen Milne is a professional footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League .-AFL career:...
, Brad Dick
Brad Dick
Brad Dick is an Australian rules footballer for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League.A small, speedy wingman from Western Australia, Dick was selected by the Magpies with the 44th choice in the 2006 AFL Draft...
, and Mathew Stokes
Mathew Stokes
Mathew Stokes is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early life:...
.
At the conclusion of the 2010 season, the Bulldogs confirmed Jarrod would be the newest uncontracted player to join the Gold Coast Suns. Jarrod wasted no time with the announcement to football world coming just days after the Bulldogs loss to St Kilda in the preliminary final. After being the subject of much speculation all year, the lure of returning home to Queensland proved too strong despite the Bulldogs best efforts to retain the rebounding damaging defender.
Jarrod was the fifth uncontracted player from an AFL club to join the Suns.