He's the Gold Coast Academy prospect you've probably never heard of, but he's the player who made as big a splash as any for the Suns ahead of the National Championships this year.
Koby Coulson, a tenacious midfielder with strength and flair, averaged 29 disposals across the Suns' four games โ second only to ball magnet Beau Addinsall โ to go with five marks and four tackles each outing.
Those four performances follow a pair of strong games in Gold Coast's two losses in showcase games against Northern Academies earlier in the year, and a brilliant showing in a trial for Queensland's U17s last year.
So well has Coulson played that he's expected to feature through a stacked Allies midfield that could also contain potential top 15 picks Dylan Patterson, Dan Annable and Addinsall.
The 17-year-old's late explosion onto the talent pathway scene is through no fault of his own โ injuries got in the way of his journey just as he was taking off.
Those around footy in Queensland agree he was as highly regarded as any as a 15-year-old, before his 16th year was almost entirely wiped out by a stress fracture in his back.
โIt was a huge disappointment to get that in my U16s year,โ Coulson said. โI only played a little bit of club footy so I started a long way back.
โLast year I tried to work my way up and this year I feel like I've been able to shine.
โIt was definitely up and down: watching everyone else play was pretty disappointing, but I think it built heaps of resilience, which will be able to help me throughout my career.โ
A pre-season with Gold Coast's AFL side, training with the midfield group, has helped launchpad Coulson into draft conversations.
One of the players he shared pre-season with was Wil Powell, whom he met on a footy camp in 2017, with their bond giving him an insight into the hard yards of the top level.
โI went on a pre-season camp with my Dad and met Wil Powell, who has become a brother figure to me that I didn't have, so I've been really good mates with him since 2017,โ Coulson said.
โI'm always texting him and letting him know how I'm going so it would be a dream to play alongside him.
โI've learned what it takes to get there and how hard you have to go about it if you want it. You need to make sacrifices which I've seen him do.โ
As for where Coulson feels like his footy is at ahead of perhaps the matches of greatest magnitude in his career?
โIt's probably the best footy I've played,โ Coulson said of his Coates Talent League games.
โI've loved it. I felt like I showed stoppage craft and built my capabilities around the contest.
โI'm strong, I like a bit of body contact, and can fight through a few tackles.
โI think I have a booming kick on me, and I want to show my foot skills and drive my legs out of the contest and hold the ball and then fight forward, so strong contest work is a big one for me to show.โ
Fourth-year Suns Academy coach Jarrod Cotton has seen the hard work Coulson has put in and has been buoyed by his progress.
โHis development has been a credit to him โ he's able to impact games not only through possession but also his inside work, aggression and tackling pressure,โ Cotton said.
โHis kicking has really improved and he's really damaging with it, so he's become a damaging midfielder.
โHe'll probably start as a small forward because he brings pressure and is a nice kick inside forward 50 so that role would suit him well and then hopefully build into being a midfielder.
โHe's one of the hardest trainers we have so he gets the most out of himself.โ
Other Suns in the Allies squad include AFL Academy trio Dylan Patterson, Beau Addinsall and Kalani White, forward Cooper Collins, ruck Jonah Harris and defenders Caleb Nancarrow and Grady Turner.
Top 10 prospect Zeke Uwland is absent due to injury, as is Jai Murray, whose early-season form has catapulted him into draft contention.
The Allies kick off their campaign at Blacktown International Sports Park against South Australia at 12pm (AEST) on Sunday.
