For yet another year, the Gold Coast Suns' primary focus over the off-season will be to develop the talent within the four walls of the club rather than looking too extensively outside.
Whilst the draft isn't quite as pivotal as it once was for the Suns, a superstar or two could prove integral to a premiership push in a few years time.
Interestingly, Stuart Dew's focus during the off-season was to try and add some good run and carry off half-back. Elucidating this, exciting prospect Ben Long opted to move from the Saints in favour of a deal north.
Brisbane midfielder Tom Berry was the only other addition to the club, making the 2022 trade period a relatively quiet one for the up-and-coming Suns.
With that said, we take a look at who the Suns could draft this time next week to bolster their squad and in turn potentially have a red-hot crack at the eight.
Draft Hand
Picks:Â 5, 45, 71, 74, 83
Traditionally, the Gold Coast Suns have had a great array of top draft picks due to receiving compensation from the AFL and finishing down the ladder on multiple occasions.
Whilst the Suns still finished in the bottom half of the ladder in 2022, finishing 13th, they possess just the 11th-best draft hand with 2254 draft points.
The most notable of their picks is pick 5 which will likely be relegated to pick 6 due to the mere certainty that Will Ashcroft will land at the Lions.
Outside of this, the AFL's second newest team will be searching for ways to develop some talented, but not yet AFL-standard players.
List Needs
Whilst the Suns look to finally be developing a really strong list, they appear to be one player short on just about every line.
Adding some height down back is probably the most important list need for the Suns, with Sam Collins often carrying the load by himself.
However, with multiple list requirements, choosing the best player available at the time seems the wisest strategy.
A major weakness over the past few years has been their poor ball use in the middle of the park.
So, with the sheer number of terrific midfielders coming through, snagging a skillful and explosive midfielder to complement the likes of Miller, Anderson and Rowell would be a great move.
Ideal Prospects
In a midfield with a lot of grunt, the explosiveness of Humphrey may just provide the perfect balance for Dew's side.
After having a relatively average season with the Gippsland Power in 2021, the big-bodied midfielder turned it around in 2022, flourishing in his role as captain.
The Moe local managed to average 20 touches, 5 tackles and 2 goals a game for the Power this year across his 11 games.
With plenty more improvement likely still in him, particularly with regard to his endurance and finishing, Humphrey looks a tantalising prospect.
Elijah Tsatas looks to be one of the most impressive young prospects in the country with an innate ability to find the ball both in and outside.
His ability to be clean in the contest combined with his speed, agility and high football IQ presents him as a scary talent for opposition sides.
The young gun averaged a tick under 34 touches with the Oakleigh Chargers, whilst averaging a ridiculous 10 inside 50s a game.
One major concern, however, is the fact that he has struggled to stay healthy for extended periods of time.
Jhye Clark looks like another player who Gold Coast could bring in at Pick 6, with his clean hands, consistency and leadership qualities all massive bonuses should Dew go down that path.
The Geelong Falcons product had a very solid 2022, averaging 25 touches and 5 tackles across his 13 games.
Interestingly, he is almost the polar opposite of Humphrey, boasting a more consistent and contested game style.
Unlike many others in the draft, he seems ready-made to slot straight into an AFL midfield.
With a star midfielder drafted into the side, Dew and his crew will likely be looking for a key back who can add some more depth.
For this, Jed Adams appears the perfect solution.
The Peel Thunder prospect is a strong and versatile key defender with a great ability to shut down opposition key forwards with his great decision-making and marking.
With lots of improvement still left in him, especially with regard to ground balls and his speed, Adams could be primed to be a part of Gold Coast's premiership push in a few years.
