GOLD COAST GIVEN A GIANT LESSON
GOLD Coast slumped to a 26-point AFL loss to Greater Western Sydney at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.
The forward pressure and contest work that underpinned the Suns’ promising start to the season was nowhere in sight as the Giants outworked and outclassed the home team.
The win came at a huge cost, though, with Giants forward Toby Greene sustaining a hamstring injury that could see him miss multiple games.
THE Suns are set to turn to the draft to enhance their AFLW list as the league’s sign and trade period kicks off on Monday.
The Suns have conceded their inaugural list was too young and while they are still committed to drafting some of Queensland’s brightest talents, the club believes there remains a raft of undiscovered, mature-age talent ready to take the next step into the AFLW.
With the Northern Territory and Townsville officially confirmed as Academy zones, a host of AFLW-ready talents could land on the Suns’ doorstep.
Players who have lived and played in those regions for at least two years are able to nominate solely for the Gold Coast region in the AFLW draft.
While the Suns have not ruled out trading for readymade talent, their head of women’s football Fiona McLarty hoped to unearth the next crop of AFLW stars via the draft following the success of mature-age selections Jade Pregelj, Hannah Dunn, Kate Surman and Lauren Ahrens.
“If we’re going to bring anyone in, we want them to make the group better on and off the field,” McLarty said.
“While we still think we have some good talent coming through … we found we were a little bit young.”
Suns Academy talents Daisy D’Arcy, Maddison Levi and Annie Bradfield lead the race as some of Queensland’s best youth talents but McLarty said the Suns were also scouting what was on offer in the NT.
Clubs can re-sign 27 players, forcing at least three list changes, but it is expected the Suns will make more than the required three changes.
Maddy Roberts, who is pursuing a career with Fire and Rescue NSW, is the only confirmed list change so far.