Pizza and inspiring chat
How the Suns snared key players for AFLW debut
LEAH Kaslar headlines a host of big-name recruits Gold Coast have lured to the club as they prepare to enter the AFLW next year.
Today the Bulletin reveals how the Suns pulled off three of their biggest signings from backroom talks to pizza nights to phone auditions.
LEAH KASLAR
THE hardened defender was the Lions skipper and seemingly out of reach.
She was entrenched at Brisbane despite living on the Gold Coast. Even Suns AFLW coach David Lake believed he was no chance to secure the 33-yearold he spent time coaching as an assistant at Brisbane.
But a chance encounter and a chat at a club pizza night at Earth ’n’ Sea in Coolangatta changed everything.
It was a Wednesday night and by Saturday, Kaslar phoned McLarty to tell her they needed to talk. Soon after she put pen to paper.
JACQUI YORSTON
THE inside midfielder earnt an AFLW Rising Star nomination in her debut season with the Lions this year but played just four games.
The 18-year-old wanted more. Yorston said upon her arrival at the Suns that she never saw herself playing for Gold Coast after going through Brisbane’s academy.
That all changed when she sat down with Lake and her father and had a contract put in front of her.
There was one thing Lake wanted in return for her signature: for Yorston to get a job.
That has since occurred and Yorston is now working at the Gold Coast Suns.
SALLY RILEY
THE answer was no, not interested.
The former Adelaide leader had won the inaugural AFLW premiership with the Crows at Metricon Stadium in 2017 but had battled to get consistent game time in 2019 due to the club’s depth of talent.
Prior attempts by the Suns to scope her interest were met with a firm no. Out of politeness, Riley called Lake one day to hear him out.
At the start of the call Riley told the Suns coach she had an hour spare to talk but she wanted to go to Melbourne.
Lake, at a local football ground in Brisbane at the time, told her he was impressed by her leadership and her ability to remain in the role despite not getting many games.
It worked. Riley’s now a Sun.