GWS GIANTS Academy draft prospect Harry Rowston is no stranger to fighting against adversity. The 182cm midfielder has played for the GIANTS Academy, Calder Cannons and Allies in their respective top-shelf competitions, and earned Most Valuable Player (MVP) and All-Australian honours at the AFL Under 18 Championships.

Rowston hails from the Riverina region where he plays for his hometown team, the Griffith Swans. They were the ones who put his name into the GIANTS Academy program, and the tough onballer worked his way up through the talent pathways.

“Your club puts your name forward and you go to training days and then they just pick the squad from that,” Rowston said of the process. “(It’s a) bit larger when you’re a bit younger, then it narrows down. It’s a very cool experience, being an affiliated club with the AFL GIANTS. Really, really cool as a young kid.”

The teenager has to travel six hours to get to Sydney, and while he has not had to do that too consistently, he has had to make the regular commute to regional city, Wagga Wagga.

“It’s not too bad, we train in little hubs, I train in Wagga which is only two hours from me,” Rowston said. That’s twice a week, which is still a fair drive but a lot better than going all the way to Sydney.”

It has been a very different NAB League experience for Rowston, who represented the GIANS Academy in the early parts of the season, before finishing the year off with Calder Cannons. It was the Cannons where Rowston found his best form, averaging 26 disposals and 6.7 marks per game, becoming a menace in the midfield.

“Being able to play in the NAB League against some high-level players, most of the boys (at the Draft Combine) have played in the NAB League,” Rowston said. It’s been good and it’s helped me with my footy, helped me develop”.

But how does he feel about playing for two teams in the same competition in the one year?

“It’s a different feeling,” Rowston said. “(I’ve) been training with Calder for two to three years now, so the longest debut ever, but it was good to see two different sides. A NSW team, a Victorian team, and see how they do it differently.”

GIANTS Academy head coach turned GWS AFLW coach Cam Bernasconi is a mentor who Rowston has always sought advice from, and was his main point of call throughout the year.

“I have a really, really good connection with him and I felt that the tips that he gave me have helped me a lot,” he said.

“It’s good getting a lot of different points of view on how I’m playing, what I can do to get better. I think that’s something that has helped me out a lot. Having coaches who look at the game in different ways, look at how I play in different ways and give me tips at how I’m getting better. I think it’s gone a long way to going to helping me playing better footy.”

It is impossible to not highlight Rowston’s stunning rise into not only Allies calculations, but to the point of being crowned the combined state team’s MVP for the 2022 national carnival.

“It was nice just to feel like the hard work that I’ve been putting in paid off,” Rowston said. Once again showed recruiters that I’m here and I can play as these other boys. It kind of put my name out there and let people know that I’m here to get picked.”

For Rowston, his goal was to put his name in the spotlight, but even with the pressure of getting drafted and juggling school and travel with his football, he admitted he was pretty “relaxed” throughout the whole carnival.

“I think that’s one thing with me, I’m a pretty relaxed customer,” he said. “Went into it (thinking) ‘I’m here I’m going to give it my all, 100 per cent’. If it works out, it works out, but definitely no pressure. Being in the Allies everyone looks at us as the making up numbers so no one’s expecting you to come out and win and have players that go out there and play really good. Definitely no pressure really going out there.”

Rowston describes his strengths as being a “team player” as well as his kicking and footy IQ to know just where to be and what do, when required. However, his competitiveness is one area that he can guarantee will never waiver each and every time he runs out on the field.

“I think that’s one of my main key things to my footy,” he said. Just being competitive and just going 110 per cent all the time. I think if I keep giving 100 per cent and just being hard at the footy, it’s always a good starting point.”

Looking to improve on his fitness and forward craft, Rowston understands at his size and relative lack of experience against senior bodies compared to his teammates, he will start off in the AFL as a forward. The 182cm talent will look to develop his body further and become a dangerous multi-position player at the top level.

Describing the experience of being at the Draft Combine as “surreal”, he said it has “always been a dream” but he was pleased the hard work had reaped rewards. Though a Collingwood supporter growing up, Rowston has an affinity to the GIANTS, and is in the box seat to join the orange and charcoal team in the AFL Draft. Though it is now just weeks away, Rowston admits he can hardly believe it.

“It’s pretty surreal to be honest,” he said. “It’s always been a dream, all of a sudden I’m here talking to you at a combine. It’s very surreal, but also quite rewarding for all the hard work.”