Harris Andrews and his partner, Em, first met when they were five years old, but it was only when they were 16 that their paths reconnected through a mutual friend and their relationship blossomed. Em remembers Harris being “tall, genuine, easy-going, and humble.” Harris adds, “Em was really welcoming, beautiful, and fun to be around.”
Em has journeyed alongside Harris since they were teens and supported him as his number 1 fan as his AFL career took off. “You’ve grown in terms of your organisation and maturity,” she says of Harris. “You carry all the positives you had back then; you’re still very down to earth, humble, easy-going, and approachable.
“Moving out of home and becoming a ‘dad’ to other draftees when you were still quite young forced you to step up in your maturity,” she adds.
Em offers her insights into what she thinks makes him a star. “I think his ability to stand up and use his voice and help his teammates on the field is a great attribute. His investment in football and how much he loves it has shaped his knowledge and given him the smarts to do what he does so well on the field.”
Authoritative on-field, easy-going at home
However, she sees a different side to him when he’s off the field. “He’s quite authoritative and commanding of his teammates, which is slightly at odds with the person he is off the field, where he’s one of the easiest-going people around. I think these qualities balance each other out, give him the right mix, and shape him into the player he is now.”
Harris agrees, although the label ‘star’ makes him feel a bit uncomfortable. “That's a fair summary,” he admits. “On the field, I like to have more of a presence, which doesn’t come organically for me. I've had to work to become more of a vocal leader. Early on in my footy career, I didn’t say a lot. I was pretty quiet and just went about my business and tried to improve myself as a player.
“As you get a bit more involved and feel more attached to the team, you want it to do well. I felt like I could contribute in more ways than just playing. So, as a leader, I try and be a bit more vocal and more competitive, but off the field, I'm pretty laid-back,” he explains.
Helping interstate draftees find their feet
Harris’s team-first and mentoring approach is seen in the way he takes younger draftees under his wing. As a Brisbane local, where he and Em grew up together, he has invited interstate teammates to move in with him. “It’s been a good life lesson for me to understand that when people move away, they go through different challenges, and the sacrifices they make by being away from friends and family.
“I haven't had to go through that myself, but I've seen that happen for guys that have lived in my place, like Hugh [McCluggage] and Jarrod [Berry]. With the support of Em, we've been able to make them feel really at home. The fact they're still here in Brisbane and have signed long-term contracts suggests we did a reasonable job of making them feel welcome,” he smiles.
“Em doesn't have to do this, but she does because she's invested in me and wants me to achieve the ultimate success. We always have discussions about making sure that the boys and their partners are comfortable, and Em plays a big part in that. So, I’m very, very grateful to her,” he adds.
Leadership growth at the Lions
The Leading Teams initiative at the Lions has benefited Harris and the rest of the players immensely and contributed to their fourth AFL premiership in 2024. “We've done so much work in the performance and culture space,” says Harris. “Ray McLean and Simon Fletcher have done a power of work with us, particularly when our younger crew arrived back in 2017 when Fages [Senior Coach, Chris Fagan] first came on board.
“They spent time getting to know us as players and who we wanted to be five, six, seven years down the track, and what we could bring to the footy club as leaders. That's something I’m really proud of,” he adds.
“I've really enjoyed being part of that process of development, and at the same time seeing growth in the other guys. As a leader and co-captain of the footy club, I'm always looking to try and promote guys younger than me, to set them up for when my footy comes to an end.”
Character shone through despite Grand Final loss
Em reflects on her favourite and proudest moments of Harris's career so far: “It's tough because there have been so many over a 10-year journey. Five years ago, I probably would've talked about his debut and mentorship to younger players. But, more recently, he’s had the privilege of playing in two back-to-back Grand Finals, so I think a natural answer would be winning the Premiership because that's as high as it gets and one of the best moments ever.
“In terms of my pride in him, the way he was able to conduct himself after the 2023 Grand Final loss speaks more about his character compared with how someone might behave after a win.
“Obviously, it's easy to show the best version of yourself when things are going your way, but the way he conducted himself after what, I imagine, would've been one of the worst days of his life was incredible.
“The way I felt, having to watch from up in the stands versus how it would've felt to be down on that field, and knowing him well enough to have a good idea of how shattered he was judging from his body language. But he still conducted himself in a professional manner and made sure he went over and shook people's hands, acknowledged the right people, and tried to lift his teammates up rather than letting himself sink.
“So, even though it's probably not the highlight of his career, in terms of my pride in him and seeing the good person he is, that was a real high because I thought he showed a lot of dignity and grace in a moment where it would've been easy to falter or crumble a bit,” she explains.
Harris agrees with Em: “It's obviously disappointing when you get so close and then fall short. You think to yourself, geez, we're going back to the bottom of the mountain again. We've got to try and climb it. But you don’t blame anyone – that's not what good people do and that's not what leaders do. You just try and rally the troops because I still had belief that we were good enough. And 12 months later we were able to prove that.”
Mutual care, and respect for each other’s goals
When asked what makes her Harris’s number 1 fan, Em says: “It's a title I share with Harris’s parents and brother. I don't feel like I'm entitled to claim his full number 1 fan mantle, but I am definitely part of his number 1 fan group.
“I am one of his biggest fans because I’ve reached the point where I care about his success and happiness more than anything else, combined with Grover [their pet Airedale Terrier] and my family. Obviously, I'm his number 1 fan on the footy field and I want him and the team to succeed, but I would consider myself more Harris’s number 1 fan off the field.
“That's why we ended up with a dog, why we probably eat more steak than I would myself, and why I try and make his life a little bit easier where I can. And he does the same for me. We try and support each other, actively encourage each other to chase what we want, and enable each other to pursue what we want in life.”
Harris agrees: “I'm so grateful for Em’s support and the way that she puts my needs and what I need to do to perform well ahead of what she needs. Football's a very selfish sport in that way. Being a professional athlete's a very selfish and indulgent way of living life. And to find someone like Em who's been able to support me for such a long period of time across my journey, I know I’ve been very, very lucky.”
