2026 was supposed to be a season that franked the successes of the last.
The Suns' maiden finals appearance and maiden finals victory was believed to be only the beginning - a notion only furthered by the off-season acquisition of Christian Petracca. The credentialed former Demon started his first season in the red and yellow like a house on fire, and the Suns rocketed into premiership favouritism because of it.
The wheels have fallen off since that rampaging beginning, and with the club now facing an uphill battle to feature even in the Wildcard Round, attention has turned to what shapes as yet another busy off-season. Spearheads established and emerging in Ben King and Jed Walter, are rumoured to be headed for the exits.
How do the Suns replace the production of the pair, maximise their yields at the trade table, and designate 2026 as a detour on the road to premiership glory, as opposed to a change in direction entirely? Who are some of the names that could aid that end?
Read on to find out!
4. Bailey J. Williams
After years of dutiful service to the club, Jarrod Witts appears to be riding into the horizon.
Ned Moyle is not yet ready to shoulder the bulk of the rucking duties on his own. Ethan Read is so versatile, too. What a luxury - play the kid wherever you like, a la Luke Jackson.
A cheap, no frills acquisition would be Bailey Williams, of the West Coast Eagles. He's an unrestricted free agent who would fill that backup role with aplomb. He's shown an ability to impact the scoreboard at different stages of this season, too.
He lifts the floor of the Suns' engine room, and costs them nothing in capital, in the process.
