Mac Andrew promises to become one of the biggest stars of the competition in the next year or two. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
GOLD COAST
2024 record: 11 wins, 12 losses (13th)
THE INS
Daniel Rioli (Richmond), John Noble (Collingwood), Elliott Himmelberg (Adelaide), Max Knobel (Fremantle), Leo Lombard (Broadbeach), Cooper Bell (Belconnen), Asher Eastham (Gippsland Power), Zak Evans (Melbourne Renegades – BBL), Lachlan Gulbin (Broadbeach), Ben Jepson (Southport)
THE OUTS
Brandon Ellis (retired), Levi Casboult (retired), Sam Day (delisted – Brisbane), Jack Lukosius (Port Adelaide), Rory Atkins (Port Adelaide), Darcy Macpherson (delisted), Jack Mahony (delisted), Hewago Oea (delisted), James Tsitas (delisted), Sandy Brock (delisted – West Coast), Oskar Faulkhead (delisted), Will Rowlands (delisted)
THE STRENGTHS
The Suns’ midfield big three of Touk Miller, Matt Rowell and new captain Noah Anderson have the potential to match it with most opposition on-ball brigades, and when you add the coming of age of Sam Flanders, there’s a lot to get enthused about in that part of the ground. That quartet is the main reason why Gold Coast ranked sixth for inside 50s last year and, thanks largely to Jarrod Witts, the Suns were also second for hitouts. Key forward Ben King is fresh from a career-high 55 goals and he was well assisted last year by surprise packet Ben Long who made the switch forward and also registered a personal best goal tally (26). But perhaps the most exciting talent on the list at present is swing man Mac Andrew who’s shown he can be just as damaging up forward as he is down back. Triple premiership Tiger Daniel Rioli is a very good pick-up, and in Sam Collins, Charlie Ballard and Connor Budarick, they have a solid selection of key defensive options. As always with the Suns, they have no shortage of exciting young talent and the likes of Jed Walter, Jake Rogers, Will Graham, Bailey Humphrey, Bodhi Uwland, Sam Clohesy and Alex Davies are no exceptions. Gold Coast came in fourth for turnovers last year as well, which is a good sign for their ball use.
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THE WEAKNESSES
There is no sugar-coating it – the Suns have been one of the most disappointing clubs in VFL/AFL history, having now completed a staggering 14 years without a top-eight finish. Only Hawthorn (32 years) and North Melbourne (20) have taken longer to make their first finals appearance. Heck, even the ‘Bad News Bears’ from Brisbane got their act together and started competing in the finals in their ninth season. And University, defunct now for 110 years, managed at least one season where it won more games than it lost, which is something the Suns still haven’t achieved. The wheel appears to be slowly turning, given they’re coming off their most productive three-year period which has yielded 40 wins – almost half of their overall victories (45 per cent) – but they are still well and truly entrenched in mid-ladder mediocrity. Not even the arrival of master coach Damien Hardwick last year could deliver them a maiden finals berth as they finished with the 11th-best offence as well as the No.12 defence – and there were a multitude of reasons for that. While the Suns didn’t have too many issues in getting the ball into their attacking zone, their inability to finish off their good work was stark as they ended up a lamentable 13th for marks inside 50 and 14th for scores per inside 50. After King and Long, the major goalkickers fell away dramatically, and with Jack Lukosius now gone, the next best last year was Ben Ainsworth with 16. Their gun midfielders need more assistance as well because the Suns really struggled at the coalface, finishing 10th for contested possessions and 13th for clearances. And despite ranking a lowly 13th for disposals and 15th for marks, Gold Coast could only muster 12th spot in tackles, which is truly an indictment on its effort levels considering how often it didn’t have the ball. A shoulder injury to the Suns’ next big thing Leo Lombard last week is concerning as well.
ONE TO WATCH
How can you go past Andrew? After whetting our appetites last year with an entree serving of his enormous potential, and earning himself a contract that could tie him to the Suns for the next decade, the exhilarating big man looks set to take the competition by storm this year. The sky is the limit for this freakish talent, and the entertainment factor is going to be reminiscent of West Coast star Nic Naitanui.
UNDER THE PUMP
After producing such an impressive year in 2023, Malcolm Rosas struggled for continuity last season, managing only seven matches. Competition for spots is hot in the small forward positions with the likes of Long, Ainsworth, Humphrey, Rogers and Nick Holman all in the mix. If Rosas can’t break back into the line-up in the final year of his contract, his career will be in jeopardy come season’s end.
BEST 23
B: Bodhi Uwland, Sam Collins, Connor Budarick
HB: Daniel Rioli, Charlie Ballard, Wil Powell
C: Sam Clohesy, Matt Rowell, Sam Flanders
HF: Ben Ainsworth, Mac Andrew, Bailey Humphrey
F: Ben Long, Ben King, Jed Walter
R: Jarrod Witts, Touk Miller, Noah Anderson
Inter: Lachie Weller, John Noble, Alex Davies, Jake Rogers, Will Graham
Emerg: Nick Holman, Alex Sexton, David Swallow
The beauty about Andrew is that he can play at either end of the ground, and while he is probably stronger in the defensive end at this stage of his career, this writer just loves the prospect of him at full flight up forward. So for now, that’s where he has been named. Despite featuring in the senior side regularly last year, Holman, Alex Sexton and David Swallow get squeezed out of the best 23. Tom Berry, Rosas, Brayden Fiorini and Sean Lemmens are also on the outer at this stage.
*all team stat rankings mentioned are based on differentials, not totals (apart from overall offence and defence).
