Sam Harris may resemble his dad, but the North Melbourne Academy prospect says he'll carve out his own path as he pursues his own football career.
"I'm a bit more versatile than him," said 17-year-old Harris of his father Daniel, who played 149 games as a hard-nosed midfielder for the Kangaroos.
"[Dad's advice has been to] just be myself, focus on how I play footy, and that's what I've been doing. I've dreamed of this since I was a little kid, and hopefully that dream does come true someday."
Harris, who will be draft-eligible in 2026, was among three father-son prospects who joined the Academy's Elite Roos program for sessions at Arden St this week. He hit the track and gym alongside Aidan McCartney, son of inspirational Roo Jason, and Archer Grant, son of Norm Smith Medalist Shannon.
The trio were joined by exciting young prospects drawn from the Academy's zones in Tasmania, central Melbourne and the Wyndham area in Melbourne's west.
"We're really excited about the talent starting to come through our Academy," Academy head coach Hamish MacInnes told NMFC Media.
"As the Academy grows, we'd love to get as many multicultural and Indigenous junior footballers involved as possible, especially out in Wyndham."
"We've got talent programs all the way from age 11 through to 18 for NGA-eligible boys and girls."
The North Melbourne Academy is built on three age-specific programs which support athletes from the club's designated Next Generation Academy (NGA) zones as well as players with specific family ties to the club.
Alongside its elite football development focus, the Academy delivers an education program covering key areas including leadership, cultural diversity, career development and overall health and wellbeing.
To learn more about the North Melbourne Academy's programs and eligibility criteria, head here.
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