Jy Farrar (left) during 2025 and Jacob Townsend (right) during the 2017 season. Pictures: AFL Photos

THERE is something distinctly Jacob Townsend-ish about Jy Farrar’s story.

Back in 2017, under the guidance of coach Damien Hardwick, Richmond’s decision to turn to an oft-forgotten Townsend late in the season helped inspire the Tigers’ remarkable premiership push.

Townsend, who had played only one AFL game in 483 days, was recalled for the side’s penultimate home and away match of the season. He kicked six goals, then five the following week, holding his place right throughout September and becoming a flag hero.

If it sounds familiar, it might be because a similar storyline is playing out again up north. Hardwick, now at Gold Coast, turned to Farrar with just six games to go in the campaign. On this occasion, it was his first AFL match in 714 days.

However, Farrar kicked three goals in his comeback game – a QClash victory over Brisbane – then two the following week. He’s held his spot for seven consecutive matches now, and is becoming an underrated piece in the side’s premiership puzzle.

Farrar, like Townsend, is also having a September impact. While last week’s elimination final win over Fremantle wasn’t his most prolific performance, he still had his moments. They contributed strongly to the side’s thrilling and long-awaited first finals victory.

“Finals are moments,” Gold Coast forwards coach, Brad Miller, told AFL.com.au. “He’s 28, so he’s mature. That’s a great thing about him, too. The occasion didn’t get the better of him and he was able to play his moments.”

Farrar worked his way back into Hardwick’s plans through a strong patch of form at reserves level. However, another impressive aspect of his revival has been the fact he’s also had to change roles while making the step up.

He kicked 16.12 from seven games in the VFL to catch Hardwick’s attention, but he did so playing as the deepest forward in a role reminiscent of the one that Ben King occupies in the AFL setup.

But his versatility at 190cm, enabling him to play as both a marking target as well as producing at ground level, while still acting as a pressure player through his defensive nous – also similar to Townsend’s role at Richmond – was key to his selection.

“He’d been playing well in the VFL as the deepest forward,” Miller said.

“It was pretty much the role that ‘Kingy’ has been playing. He was playing that in the VFL, so we saw his ability to start up the ground and then use his speed to beat his opponent back at that level.

“When we were thinking about injecting him into the AFL side, it was his speed that was attractive. We didn’t realise that he was going to have the immediate impact that he had in that first game, where he kicked three goals. But he laid two or three really important tackles for us as well. That’s been the biggest thing that we’ve seen.”

Jy Farrar during Gold Coast’s training session at People First Stadium on September 9, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

Farrar has now kicked 10 goals from his seven matches back in Hardwick’s plans, while his form also has him on track for a contract extension having previously been unsigned and uncertain on his future.

But for Gold Coast, rather than the goals, it’s the intangibles that have made him such an important part of the side’s hopes to go deep into September.

“He’s got genuine speed,” Miller said.

“He uses his speed both offensively, once he’s up the ground, but his chase down stuff has been something that has made an impact straightaway from that first game where he came back in.

“He’s been able to blindside a few guys just through his sheer speed and chasing them down. He’s also just got genuine forward craft as well. He can naturally read where the ball’s going and he positions himself up to be able to impact the ball.

“He’s got a lot of little deft touch stuff, too, that you can’t really coach. He’s got an instinct for the game and when to keep it live or knock it on for a teammate, he’s got a really selfless approach.

“If you watch the way that he plays, he’s always trying to make a teammate better. That’s been terrific to see. Whether it’s blocks or handballs to someone in a better spot for another shot on goal, he’s always team-first.”

If anything, though, the decision to recall Farrar perhaps would have been a more difficult one for Hardwick than the choice to bring back Towsend in 2017. Not only had he missed a significantly longer stretch, but it was also a case of who he replaced.

While the Tigers had chopped and changed between Connor Menadue, Sam Lloyd, Ivan Soldo, Corey Ellis, Ben Lennon and even Shai Bolton in their attack that season, the Suns had long persisted with Jed Walter alongside King and Ethan Read.

The club clearly has high hopes for Walter, its precociously talented Academy graduate and former No.3 pick, but wanted more ground level pressure up front and subsequently made the decision to recall Farrar as their third option.

“Jed’s shown some huge improvement this year,” Miller said.

“We were really pleased with what he was giving us. But he and Ethan were offering something similar. Given the form that Jy was in at VFL level, we thought he deserved a chance.

“Once we saw it in action at AFL level, his attributes complemented the mix really well. That’s not to say that Jed’s won’t or can’t, it’s just at that period of time what Jy brought was exactly what we needed for us to function.”

Jed Walter and Ben King during Gold Coast’s training session at People First Stadium on September 9, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

Farrar will now hope to replicate Townsend’s Richmond impact by helping Gold Coast to a maiden premiership later this month. If his form so far is anything to go by, it’s more than possible – something that seemed incredibly unlikely just a few short weeks ago.