Club stands by Riordan as new contract looms
THE Suns have thrown their support around injured midfielder Mitch Riordan whose AFL future has been clouded by a season-ending injury.
Gold Coast football manager Jon Haines confirmed Riordan would miss the 2020 season after rupturing his ACL at training late last month.
It is a huge blow to the 20year-old’s career and comes after what was a strong first pre-season at AFL level.
Riordan was picked up by the Suns with pick 2 at last year’s mid-season draft and had impressed since arriving in May.
Riordan showed his ability in the contest through three games in the Suns’ NEAFL team while he was building his endurance.
Out of contract at the end of this year, Riordan won’t get the chance to make his AFL debut in 2020 or show why he deserves another deal at the top level.
But Haines said the club had spoken with Riordan and his management to ensure him his contract situation would not be a torment to him during his rehabilitation.
“It’s obviously very disappointing for Mitch,” Haines said. “He impressed everyone in the back half of last year off a non-AFL preparation.
“We have been in contact with his management group and we just encouraged Mitch to focus on his rehabilitation at this stage.
“He has got our full support. We have said let’s get that right and the other stuff will sort itself out through the course of the year.”
Riordan had been playing for the Dandenong Stingrays in 2019 before ACL injuries to Rory Thompson and Harrison Wigg opened the door for him to be picked up by the Suns in the mid-season draft.