Post by anothermp on Oct 9, 2010 18:23:27 GMT 10
My theio never rated this guy lol, I thought he put in some solid performances for us tho, our ginger assassin Jeromy Harris!!
Olympic's quiet achiever ready to run himself into the ground
May 30 2003
Jeromy Harris is a fringe dweller, and he's happy for it to stay that way, writes Michael Cockerill.
Then there are the players who take a step back at the final whistle, who look around to take it all in, and have to be cajoled to pose for the photographers. They are the ones whose sense of appreciation comes from within.
Whether it's because he was born and raised in Rockhampton, where they don't suffer egos, or whether it's simply an in-built streak of modesty, Jeromy Harris has always been a fringe dweller. And he's happy for it to stay that way.
This is a player who has won two championships in only two attempts, but when you survey the photos of the winning grand final teams of 1997 (Brisbane Strikers) and 2002 (Olympic Sharks), you have to look twice to notice him. He's there all right - smiling, happy, satisfied - but he's in the background nonetheless.
Chances are it will be the same story this Sunday when Harris and his Olympic teammates travel west to take on Perth Glory in this season's title-decider. A player described by his coach Lee Sterrey as "having a heart as big as his shirt" will give his customary 100 per cent, and as long as he ends up on the winning team he won't be looking for a pat on the back.
"Credit? It doesn't bother me," he says. "The way I see it, I play football because I enjoy playing with my mates. If I do a truckload of running and Tezza [Ante Milicic] gets on the end of a couple of my crosses and we win the game, that's good enough for me.
"The exposure doesn't make any difference. As long as my teammates appreciate what I do, that's all I can ask for. The mateship is what I do it for, that's what keeps me going."
There have been times, however, when Harris, now 27, has pondered whether he should keep going at all. The fact that it took him 10 years to notch 150 NSL appearances - the achievement came last weekend - states this obvious. This is a player who has had more than his fair share of injuries. The latest, severe tendonitis in his groins, should have sidelined him months ago. But despite the excruciating pain, aggravated by the heavy pitches of the last month, Harris has refused to quit. It's nothing, he jokes, that a championship medal and a couple of beers won't fix.
Injuries have been his bugbear ever since he left central Queensland and came south to Marconi Stallions as a 17-year-old. Harris was spotted on an off-season tour by then-Marconi coach Frank Arok, but a chronic hernia problem restricted him to seven games in three years.
It's been a similar story since, but Harris refuses to modify his robust style. A perfect cameo was provided in the finals match against Parramatta Power last month, when he was knocked unconscious, came back on after a few minutes rest and promptly ran into a post. He was then poleaxed in a challenge for the ball with a teammate, before scoring the game's first goal.
"I've had a lot of injuries over the years, and they've definitely set me back," he concedes.
"There was many times when I thought about giving it away. But then I'd turn up to training and have a good laugh with the boys, and I'd realise how stupid I was to think about quitting. I'm not ready to retire just yet."
For Olympic, Harris's contribution has been pivotal in the campaign for back-to-back championships, even though the fans took a long time to appreciate his efforts. Sometimes he looks awkward, sometimes he makes mistakes, but he has a knack of scoring crucial goals and he always runs to the point of exhaustion. Unlike many of his peers, he plays to his strengths.
"I know my limitations," he says. "I'm not a skilful player, that's not my forte. I do the simple things consistently, I work hard, and I think at times that helps the team. I don't kid myself, I just try and concentrate on what I'm good at.
"To be honest, I feel honoured and privileged to play in this team. There's only a couple of us who haven't played for Australia at some level. There are some great players here, and it's been fantastic to be part of it.
"I'd like to stick around, but I'll get the grand final out of the way first and then worry about a new contract after that."
Sterrey, one of his staunchest admirers, has no doubt.
"If Jezza got run over by a Mack truck he'd get straight back up again, that's the sort of bloke he is," the Sharks coach says.
"He's a tremendous character - physically strong, mentally strong. He's a good all-round first-grade footballer. But he's very underrated as well.
"Jezza is a lot smarter footballer than what people think."
Smart enough to already be plotting his path post-football. Harris is in the final year of a part-time Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Someone who will take very little from the game apart from his memories will focus on making money from the stockmarket once he retires. If selflessness counts for anything, he deserves to make a fortune.
Olympic's quiet achiever ready to run himself into the ground
May 30 2003
Jeromy Harris is a fringe dweller, and he's happy for it to stay that way, writes Michael Cockerill.
Then there are the players who take a step back at the final whistle, who look around to take it all in, and have to be cajoled to pose for the photographers. They are the ones whose sense of appreciation comes from within.
Whether it's because he was born and raised in Rockhampton, where they don't suffer egos, or whether it's simply an in-built streak of modesty, Jeromy Harris has always been a fringe dweller. And he's happy for it to stay that way.
This is a player who has won two championships in only two attempts, but when you survey the photos of the winning grand final teams of 1997 (Brisbane Strikers) and 2002 (Olympic Sharks), you have to look twice to notice him. He's there all right - smiling, happy, satisfied - but he's in the background nonetheless.
Chances are it will be the same story this Sunday when Harris and his Olympic teammates travel west to take on Perth Glory in this season's title-decider. A player described by his coach Lee Sterrey as "having a heart as big as his shirt" will give his customary 100 per cent, and as long as he ends up on the winning team he won't be looking for a pat on the back.
"Credit? It doesn't bother me," he says. "The way I see it, I play football because I enjoy playing with my mates. If I do a truckload of running and Tezza [Ante Milicic] gets on the end of a couple of my crosses and we win the game, that's good enough for me.
"The exposure doesn't make any difference. As long as my teammates appreciate what I do, that's all I can ask for. The mateship is what I do it for, that's what keeps me going."
There have been times, however, when Harris, now 27, has pondered whether he should keep going at all. The fact that it took him 10 years to notch 150 NSL appearances - the achievement came last weekend - states this obvious. This is a player who has had more than his fair share of injuries. The latest, severe tendonitis in his groins, should have sidelined him months ago. But despite the excruciating pain, aggravated by the heavy pitches of the last month, Harris has refused to quit. It's nothing, he jokes, that a championship medal and a couple of beers won't fix.
Injuries have been his bugbear ever since he left central Queensland and came south to Marconi Stallions as a 17-year-old. Harris was spotted on an off-season tour by then-Marconi coach Frank Arok, but a chronic hernia problem restricted him to seven games in three years.
It's been a similar story since, but Harris refuses to modify his robust style. A perfect cameo was provided in the finals match against Parramatta Power last month, when he was knocked unconscious, came back on after a few minutes rest and promptly ran into a post. He was then poleaxed in a challenge for the ball with a teammate, before scoring the game's first goal.
"I've had a lot of injuries over the years, and they've definitely set me back," he concedes.
"There was many times when I thought about giving it away. But then I'd turn up to training and have a good laugh with the boys, and I'd realise how stupid I was to think about quitting. I'm not ready to retire just yet."
For Olympic, Harris's contribution has been pivotal in the campaign for back-to-back championships, even though the fans took a long time to appreciate his efforts. Sometimes he looks awkward, sometimes he makes mistakes, but he has a knack of scoring crucial goals and he always runs to the point of exhaustion. Unlike many of his peers, he plays to his strengths.
"I know my limitations," he says. "I'm not a skilful player, that's not my forte. I do the simple things consistently, I work hard, and I think at times that helps the team. I don't kid myself, I just try and concentrate on what I'm good at.
"To be honest, I feel honoured and privileged to play in this team. There's only a couple of us who haven't played for Australia at some level. There are some great players here, and it's been fantastic to be part of it.
"I'd like to stick around, but I'll get the grand final out of the way first and then worry about a new contract after that."
Sterrey, one of his staunchest admirers, has no doubt.
"If Jezza got run over by a Mack truck he'd get straight back up again, that's the sort of bloke he is," the Sharks coach says.
"He's a tremendous character - physically strong, mentally strong. He's a good all-round first-grade footballer. But he's very underrated as well.
"Jezza is a lot smarter footballer than what people think."
Smart enough to already be plotting his path post-football. Harris is in the final year of a part-time Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Someone who will take very little from the game apart from his memories will focus on making money from the stockmarket once he retires. If selflessness counts for anything, he deserves to make a fortune.
