The Suns as a side in the AFL have had a slippery history as if they applied too much banana boat, but things do appear to be finally turning for the long-embattled organisation trying to thrive in a non-traditional footballing market.
With the appointment of Damien Hardwick finally bringing some much-needed credentials to the organisation the Suns have a springboard with which to build a sustained challenge at the eight.
So who in the organisation is struggling? Which players are finding the glaring Queensland sun (and the lack of daylight saving time) to be too difficult to get around?
Read on for my take and thoughts on the top five most under-pressure players at the Gold Coast Suns.
5. Alex Davies
The big, bodied midfielder was a win for the Gold Coast academy and appears to be having a series of wins over the past five years. However, the game style of the collective AFL has passed him by as he appears to be unable to come to grips with his new role in the Suns lineup.
Managing double-digit games once in four seasons, he has struggled to find consistency at the top flight despite being rated as a top 20 selection along with his academy peer Joel Jeffrey.
Alex Davies has the rare distinction of being one of two ethnically Japanese players in the AFL (alongside Mitchito Owens at St Kilda), and he also is one of the few players with opportunities primarily outside football. However, I expect that as soon as he has seen out his remaining years on his contract he will be delisted.
He needs to develop more of his outside game, as well as alternate positions that he can play which is something that is difficult to do on the fly.
Pressure Gauge: 6.0/10
4. Jarrod Witts
Now this is less pressure, and more father time catching up to him.
Witts has three more than capable understudies waiting in the wings with Mac Andrew, Ned Moyle, and Ethan Read all capable of filling the first team role.
Witts has done an amicable job of being the number one ruck at the Gold Coast, and the co-captain as well. However, Father Time catches us all and while he is a tap ruck without peer in the AFL he has not developed the flexibility to be a key forward or defender and I expect that Ned Moyle will take over this year.
Jarrod Witts of the Suns. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
He has manfully led the Suns for six years alongside David Swallow (the last foundation player) and now Touk Miller, he provided leadership the Suns were desperate for in 2019, and has been one of the best rucks in the game since.
He will be out of contract at the end of next season and 35 years old which is ancient in terms of rucks.
He has ready-made replacements but when confronted with the inevitable march of time players often struggle with the cognitive dissonance of people exceeding their own capabilities.
Pressure Gauge: 6.5/10
3. Jy Farrar
One of two currently listed AFL players from Halls Creek Western Australia (Shane McAdam being the other one), Jy Farrar has carved out a niche for himself as a third tall defender using his 191 cm frame to match up on opponents tall or small.
In 2024 he played the important role of utility in the Suns reserves side kicking 19 goals from 14 games, however, he failed to make an appearance at senior level.
He provides a valuable addition of senior experience to the Suns but as he approaches 30 years old as well as requiring a contract extension he is facing increasing pressure of not being required to the AFL side.
Particularly as the Suns have lost the valuable concession of having more rookie spots available to them they’re going to have to cut very harshly shortly as more and more players become available through their academy such as Zeke Uwhland (younger brother of Bodhi).
Pressure gauge: 7.0/10
2. Lachie Weller
Weller has always been a controversial figure at the Gold Coast since they traded the second overall pick in the national draft to Fremantle for the young Weller.
However, given that the Suns drafted Charlie Ballard that year it’s pretty clear that it is a win-win trade for the Suns and Dockers.
Making matters worse, he has experienced two successive ACL reconstructions at the Suns in 2022 and 2023. However, the Suns took their time rehabilitating the second injury and he made a return to form last year.
As has been something of a theme in this list, he may be surplus to requirements for the Gold Coast with the additions of John Noble, and Daniel Rioli through an aggressive trade strategy last year.
Pressure Gauge: 7.5/10
Honourable Mentions
Mac Andrew: He has the big money deal, yet he is still too skinny to hold down a key position post, or ruck. I expect that with a new game style under Dimma, Andrew will be given ample opportunity to thrive.
Mac Andrew takes a mark. (Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Sam Flanders: He has frequently found himself on the outer of the squad, last season was the first year that he consistently saw first-team minutes.
Damien Hardwick: I’m sorry but when you’re more prominent than some of your players you’re always going to be under pressure. Gold Coast has always been the poisoned chalice for head coaching candidates.
Ben King/Jed Walter: More placed here because they no longer have Jack Lukosius and Levi Casboult due to the attrition of having so many key forwards on their list. I expect that Ben King will have a solid contribution up front but they will want to avoid Jed Walter taking goals from him.
1. John Noble (and Daniel Rioli to a lesser extent)
Now I do not think it inflammatory of me to say that neither Noble nor Rioli were worth the first-round picks paid for them.
But that more so applies to Noble who’ve both become emblematic of the Gold Coast’s rather insane trading strategy over the years.
These players are flankers, and the easiest replaced from a development perspective, however, if Gold Coast is to make the jump into finals contention, then Dimma needs to reduce the gap between their best players and their worst, and for Noble and Rioli it will entirely go through them.
Pressure gauge: 9.0/10
Well, what do you think folks… Will the sun finally rise on this embattled franchise?
Or will they be the perpetual joke of the AFL?
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
Will and brother Levi try will be trying to win the best-on-ground medal named after their father.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has taken some of his frustrations from the Suns' first loss of the season out on Victorian Premier Jacinta…
The white shoe brigade, meter maids, schoolies week, fake tans… the Gold Coast has always had a problem with authenticity. And when it comes…
There has been a lot said and written already about Gold Coast's one-point win over Adelaide - most of it centred on the controversial…
A little less than 13 years ago, on the same day as Gerard Healy entered footy meme history by calling Gold Coast 'the Gold…
If you’re anything like myself, it’s been a long 159 days since the grand final in September last year and after tediously counting down…
