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.
4Neil Erasmus
Neil Erasmus poses as a low-risk, high-reward option for the Suns as he searches for more AFL opportunity, with the Dockers' midfield essentially locked in for the next decade.
Erasmus has managed 15 games for Fremantle this season, thanks in large part to an injury-riddled year for Hayden Young, but he has taken full grasp of the opportunity, averaging a career-high 15.8 disposals and three clearances per game in 2025.
If you discount matches where Erasmus has featured in less than 60 per cent time on ground, his numbers jump to 18.8 disposals per game and 3.9 clearances per game, highlighting the potential the 21-year-old possesses if given a consistent run.
While centre bounce minutes would be unlikely for Erasmus at the Suns, he has proven he can excel on the wings. In fact, his best game this season was a 26-disposal, 12-contested possession outing against Port Adelaide in Round 22, where he attended zero centre bounces and played almost entirely on the outside, recording a season-high 395 metres gained that night too.
As mentioned earlier, with Gold Coast's midfield stocks potentially taking a hit this off-season, signing Neil Erasmus would give them an instant opportunity to recover for 2026 and beyond. He fits the timeline of the team strongly, highlighting his potential to be a long-term fit for the club.
