Gold Coast Suns academy player Harry Simington building confidence he can still make AFL after return from injury
HARRY Simington still holds hopes of making it to the AFL after reaching the highest point of his return to football.
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HARRY Simington still holds hopes of making it to the AFL after reaching the highest point of his return to football.
Simington has been plagued by injuries over the past 12 months but kicked four goals in Gold Coast’s 11.16 (82) to 10.10 (70) loss to the Brisbane Lions in Round 17 of the NEAFL at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
The 19-year-old had his dreams to be drafted last year shattered. Simington played for both the Allies in the under-18 national championships and Suns in the academy series before suffering a hamstring injury in his first NEAFL game back from representative footy.
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Simington managed to gather some fitness before the draft combine but was overlooked by the Suns and other clubs despite initial interest.
He rebuffed offers from VFL and WAFL clubs in favour of staying in the Suns academy for his final year before a stress fracture in his foot, suffered during the preseason, set him back further.
Saturday’s game was his fourth match back and Simington said he hoped to put a body of work together that would help him get drafted at the end of this year.
“It’s been good to get back out there,” Simington said.
“I was out for so long and there is only so much you can do on the sidelines. The more I can build consistency the better footy I’ll play.
“I still think my best footy is yet to come.
“I’ve had limited opportunity to show what I can do but hopefully over the past few years the clubs, specifically the Suns, have seen something they like and hopefully that results in being drafted.”
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