Gold Coast Suns AFL 2024 Predictions, Projections and Player Movement

Ryan Tucker

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Last updated: 17 Feb 2024

Ryan Tucker 17 Feb 2024

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Gold Coast Suns predicted to finish 14th in AFL 2024 despite a pursuit of transformation.
Key inclusions from academy players marks a hopeful future for the team.
Damien Hardwick expected to make a difference to club culture

Head Coach Damien Hardwick (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

AFL 2024 Team Previews, Predictions & Player Movement: Gold Coast Suns

AFL 2024 Team Previews, Predictions & Player Movement: Gold Coast Suns
Where they finish: 14th in the AFL in 2024
What’s to like
What’s NOT to like
Gold Coast Suns Offseason Player Movement
Gold Coast Suns Predicted Round 1 Squad

Where they finish: 14th in the AFL in 2024

Another disappointing year predicted for the Suns. In my opinion they will be a regular finals contender in the not too distant future but their window starts in 2025 or 2026. This year will be a steep learning curve and an opportunity for the staff to redefine the club, the culture and the playing list.

What’s to like

The future is bright for the Suns who came agonisingly close in 2023 to breaking into their maiden finals campaign. They have shedded some weight on the playing list and recruited a number of academy players who will learn straight from year one from mastermind Coach Damien Hardwick.

There weren’t too many statistical highlights for the Suns in 2023 but where they did outperform their opponents most was in Hitouts (4th) and Clearances (9th). Being proficient in these metrics allow a team to get on the front foot, the question is whether the rest of the team can take the advantage.

What’s NOT to like

Progress takes time. A new coach coming in with the explicit goal of completely changing the concept of what the club is. 7 Rookies replace 9 experienced players and expectations from not only local supporters but the wider AFL community doesn’t fit well together.

The Suns have absolutely done the right thing here with their coach and list but it will take a few more years to gain the traction needed to regularly compete in the finals. A shame for a club that were on the cusp in 2023.

For Gold Coast to improve in the short term their Kicking will need to develop to allow more uncontested possessions. Two metrics that the team was below average in during the 2023 season.

Gold Coast Suns Offseason Player Movement

Sam Clohesy (Rookie Draft), Will Graham (No.26 draft pick, Academy), Jack Mahony (Rookie Draft), Ethan Read (No.9 draft pick, Academy), Jake Rogers (No.14 draft pick, Academy), Will Rowlands (Rookie Draft), Jed Walter (No.3 draft pick, Academy)

OUT

Jed Anderson (delisted), Connor Blakely (retired), Chris Burgess (trade, Adelaide), Mabior Chol (trade, Hawthorn), Charlie Constable (retired), Elijah Hollands (trade, Carlton), Brodie McLaughlin (delisted), Jeremy Sharp (delisted), Jake Stein (delisted)

Gold Coast Suns Predicted Round 1 Squad

Full Back	Charlie Ballard	Sam Collins	Connor Budarick
Half Back	Joel Jeffrey	Mac Andrew	Wil Powell
Centre	Brandon Ellis	Matt Rowell	Brayden Fiorini
Half Forward	Ben Ainsworth	Jack Lukosius	Bailey Humphrey
Full Forward	Nick Holman	Ben King	Malcolm Rosas
Followers	Jarrod Witts	Noah Anderson	Touk Miller
Interchange	Sam Flanders	Darcy Macpherson	Sean Lemmens
	Alex Davies	Alex Sexton (sub)