Bizarre reason this 19-year-AFL rookie is suddenly one of the AFL’s most popular players after just ONE game
- Lachie Jones, 19, made his senior AFL debut for Port Adelaide last weekend
- His mullet hairstyle and bristling moustache have made him an instant cult hero
- The defender has vowed to maintain his rugged appearance for ‘a while at least’
A rookie footy player has revealed why he is suddenly one of the most popular figures in the AFL.
‘The hair… the hair and the mo,’ Port Adelaide defender Lachie Jones told reporters on Tuesday.
Jones, on his 19th birthday, made an accomplished AFL debut against Richmond in Port’s two-point triumph last Friday night at Adelaide Oval.
But his mullet hairstyle and bristling moustache attracted as much attention as his 17 disposals.
Lachie Jones’ (pictured left) distinctive mullet hairstyle and bristling moustache has made him a fan favourite with Port Adelaide fans – after just one senior AFL game
Last Friday the 19-year-old defender (pictured right) received a huge roar from the crowd when he ran out to play premiers Richmond at Adelaide Oval
‘Pretty overwhelming,’ Jones said of the reaction.
‘I didn’t really expect the fame. I wouldn’t call it fame yet, there’s a lot of boys that are in front of me.
‘But yeah, pretty overwhelming.’
The defender, born in the farming town of Bute on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, was given a raucous cheer from Port fans when he came off the interchange bench.
‘I couldn’t help but notice when I ran on, a bit of a roar,’ he said.
‘It probably just shows the supporter base at Port Adelaide and how invested they are in the club, how much of an interest they take.’
Among the first-gamer’s first tasks was to stand Richmond’s Brownlow medallist and triple Norm Smith medal winner Dustin Martin.
‘Daunting,’ Jones said.
‘I had a little bit of a ‘welcome to the league’ moment when he fended me off and kicked a goal.
‘But I was probably a little bit naïve. I was sort of excited to be in that position.
‘At least now I can say I have done it and hopefully it doesn’t happen again.’
Lachie Jones (pictured above) said he found the attention from supporters ‘pretty overwhelming’ when Port took on the Richmond Tigers last Friday at Adelaide Oval
Jones, a lifelong Port fan, was linked to the Power through the Next Generation Academy scheme because of his Indigenous heritage on his father’s side.
Port selected Jones with pick 16 at last year’s national draft with the solidly-built half-back’s mullet copping some stick from coach Ken Hinkley.
‘He is probably the biggest critic at the club of everyone’s hair cuts, could be a short back and sides and he’d still critique you for it,’ Jones said.
‘But you just take that and accept it and don’t really let it bother you, just move on.
‘It will stay for now, obviously received a bit of a following from it.
‘It will stay for a while at least.’