Emerging youngster Bailey Humphrey was entrenched in rumours throughout the course of the 2025 trade period, as the 21-year-old's desire to return to Victoria became clear.
Uncomfortable scenes unfolded after he was spotted meeting several Victorian clubs, despite his management claiming he had not met with any, and the Suns holding the view that he was an "untouchable asset".
Ultimately, Humphrey was not dealt on deadline day and instead held to his contract, which is set to expire after the 2027 season.
The situation left Gold Coast captain Noah Anderson in murky waters, admitting on SEN Breakfast on Tuesday that he was initially taken aback by the reports of Humphrey's desired exit and unsure of how to handle it appropriately.
However, since the deadline passed in October, Anderson says open and honest conversations between him and the X-factor forward have taken place, with both sides admitting the circumstances could have been managed better.
"I was a little bit surprised. We love Bailey," Anderson said.
"That was something I hadn't experienced yet as a first-year captain, dealing with a player with a bit of speculation around them.
"Since then, we've caught up a few times and spoken through it and owned up to our own mistakes and where our shortcomings were. He owned that he didn't handle it the best and as a club and leadership group, we thought we could have done better as well.
"He had other stuff away from footy that was bringing him back to Victoria, so as a footy club and his teammates, we understood. There's never any hard feelings there.
"We understand it's a business and he has a life outside of footy."
All eyes will be on Humphrey entering 2026 to see how he responds to the scrutiny from his mismanaged October, as his commitment to Gold Coast remains a question mark beyond this year. He's one of the rising stars of the competition and will likely demand plenty of attention from Victorian rivals, claiming Gold Coast's best emerging player award last season while finishing fourth in the best and fairest count.
However, attention will also turn to the Suns' spearhead forward Ben King, whose contract is set to expire following this season, allowing the superstar to enter free agency.
Touk Miller, who joined Anderson on SEN, remained confident that an extension will be committed to in due time for the All-Australian hopeful, who missed out on selection despite kicking 71 goals last season.
That's thanks to King being surrounded with greater forward support in 2026, assuming the development of talls Jed Walter and Ethan Read continue.
"Absolutely confident [King recommits], but first and foremost it's about dealing with this year and what's the play out for us," Miller said.
"The signature will get done at some point but I think from our perspective, we've got 'Kingy' for this year and we know what he can deliver.
"He's got a few more boys down in his forward line that can kick a few more goals around him and take some key defenders with them. I think it's going to be a really special year."
Another one of those front six supporting talents could be Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who hasn't missed a training session since moving to the Carrara-based outfit, according to Anderson.
Ugle-Hagan presents as a dynamic option to consider for senior coach Damien Hardwick, potentially giving the Suns the opportunity to play four talls inside the arc, should he emerge as a consistent best 23 talent in the upcoming practice matches.
However, the top priority has been ensuring the 23-year-old's well-being, which Anderson feels is progressing strongly since the former Bulldog moved up north.
"He's been training well. We're just trying to create an environment where he feels really happy and comfortable coming into work everyday," Anderson said.
"We understand it's been a hard few years for him, so we're really trying to make it as easy as possible for him. Help him get that love for the game back and love for the group.
"The relationships he's been building early on have been really important and he hasn't missed a session so far. I'm well aware that it's pre-season and still February, but he's taking all the steps in the right direction at the moment."
Ultimately, Gold Coast is entering 2026 full of momentum, buoyed by the rapid development of their young talent and addition of superstar figure Christian Petracca. Their first challenge lies in St Kilda, taking on the Saints in a scratch match on February 19 before officially playing Brisbane in the Community Series on February 26.
