Players can fill loss of key Sun

GOLD Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew has plenty of “trust” in his playing group to cover the loss of star forward Izak Rankine, saying his departure is an opportunity for someone to step up.

The 22-year-old requested a trade to the Adelaide Crows at the end of the 2022 season after four years at the Suns.

Dew said several players were already putting up their hand to replace Rankine, with pre-season beginning on Monday.

“We’ve got high trust in this group, they’re proven through the two interrupted years they can look after themselves and prepare ready to go,” Dew said.

“It’s an opportunity isn’t it, Izak didn’t play the last game (where the Suns defeated North Melbourne 114-47) and Malcolm Rosas stepped up, I think he had five shots on goal and Alex (Sexton) got back in.

“It won’t change too much, it’s just an opportunity for someone else and we anticipate the ball coming inside-50 a bit so whoever is down there is going to get a lot of opportunities and we think we can fill that for sure.”

Small forward Sexton is contracted to the Suns until the end of 2023, but spent mixed time between the Suns’ seniors and VFL side in 2022.

21-year-old Rosas played just four games for the club in 2021 but became a consistent part of the forward line in 2022 notching 15 for the season.

Dew also confirmed young star Ben King would be on track to make his return to AFL football after an anterior cruciate ligament tear sidelined him prior to the 2022 season.

“He’s in good shape, he’s done a lot of work, clearly it’s been a learning curve for him and he’s attacked it … he’s a nice recruit to have ready to come in given I still remember the feeling when he went down pre-season.”

Dew acknowledged the team was searching for better results after finishing one place short of finals.

“Our role, footy department specifically, is to make sure we get the results on field and we’re really comfortable with our progress but we know that the biggest challenge comes now,” Dew said.

“The big step is getting into the September action and I think as a club and footy department that’s what we’re focused on.”

At a grassroots level, the Gold Coast has become a powerhouse in grassroots from the QAFL, which is dominated by the Broadbeach Cats, Labrador Tigers and Palm Beach, up to the Southport Sharks and Suns reserves who overrepresented Victorian teams in VFL finals this year.

“A lot of our staff members are in and around in those (local) clubs.”