The Gold Coast Suns are on the cusp of their first finals berth in club history, barring a shock loss to the Bombers at People First Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Suns' long-awaited leap into contention arguably stemmed from their highly successful 2024 trade period, landing a pair of elite half-backs in John Noble and Daniel Rioli that have shaped their transition football from the defensive 50.
While the improvement has been much appreciated by the success-starved Suns faithful, there are still some ways to go, as the Suns still lack outside running support options for their dominant midfield and consistent small forward options who are able to crumb at the feet of spearhead Ben King.
So, where can they make upgrades, and which out-of-contract players could the Suns realistically add as they enter their first premiership window under Damien Hardwick?
We take a look at five trade and free agency targets for the Gold Coast to consider this year.
2Jamie Elliott
The Gold Coast are yet to truly replace the small forward capabilities of Izak Rankine since his departure in 2022, but with Magpies veteran Jamie Elliott reportedly eyeing a move to Queensland to conclude his storied AFL career, the Suns should be ready to swoop in on the 33-year-old.
Elliott is in the midst of a career-best campaign, as the first Magpie to kick at least 50 goals in a season since Travis Cloke. His ability to threaten inside 50 consistently is remarkable, considering Collingwood lacks a star key forward to drag attention away from their dangerous smalls. Elliott currently averages 2.7 marks inside 50 per game, the most for a non-key forward this season.
The next two non-key forwards on the list for marks inside 50 are Gold Coast's Ben Long and Jy Farrar, highlighting how Elliott's elite IQ and positioning would slot into the Suns' system.
