Gold Coast SUNS coach Rodney Eade has had the pleasure of seeing Jarrod Harbrow develop from an 18-year-old boy into the man he is today.

The veteran mentor was Harbrow’s first senior coach at the Western Bulldogs, where he was selected with pick No. 27 in the 2007 rookie draft. Harbrow played 70 games under Eade at the Kennel, including back-to-back preliminary finals in 2008 and 2009.

The pair was re-united when Eade was named as Gold Coast coach in late 2014 and this week, the former Bulldogs and Swans coach gets to oversee Harbrow’s 100th game for the SUNS.

“It’s been great, he’s had a terrific career,” Eade told United Coaches Chat.

“As a young lad coming into the Bulldogs, he started as a forward pocket but eventually made his name as a back pocket and was a really popular team member.

READ: Harbrow reaches 100 in SUNS colours

“Even at a young age, he was a leader among the Indigenous boys at the club.”

Harbrow made the shift to the Gold Coast in the 2010 off-season to be closer to family in Cairns and Eade was full of praise for the Queenslander’s character, an asset that has seen him become a valued leader within the four walls of Metricon Stadium.

“Then obviously he wanted to be closer to home coming here to the SUNS,” Eade said.

“He was struck by injury a bit last year, but he started the season off well this year. He’s been a little bit down the last couple of weeks but he’s got a lot of pride in his performance, he’s got great character.

“He’s really one of the leaders around the club and has been for a while. Hopefully for his sake, being the first, it’s a great milestone and hopefully we get the right result.”