Gold Coast senior coach Damien Hardwick has provided a firm stance on contracted midfielder Sam Flanders, who has been involved in trade rumours for much of the 2025 season.
Reports have linked Flanders to a move to Victoria, with St Kilda and Carlton the frontrunners to lure his services south, but with the midfielder contracted until 2027, his availability is unclear.
Flanders had been shifted from the half-back position he made his own last year to make way for Gold Coast's star recruitments of the 2024 off-season in Daniel Rioli and John Noble, seeing the 24-year-old feature as a depth midfielder and half forward at different occasions this season.
Many have linked this role change to Flanders statistical regression in 2025, but Hardwick shined a light on Flanders' "tough year", doubling down on Gold Coast prioritising him as a required player at the club.
"Great players do get interest, that's why they're great," Hardwick said post-game.
"Sam's had a tough year. He was on fire at the start of the year, but he's got a back issue that, if I'm being completely honest, he probably shouldn't have played half the games he's played.
"He's a tough kid and I love him. As far as I'm concerned, Sam's one of our best players and I don't love trading our best players."
In Saturday night's semi-final loss to Brisbane, Flanders collected 20 disposals and kicked an important second quarter goal to keep the Suns in the fight. He finished the match with a Player Rating of 9.8, the seventh-highest rated Suns player on the field.
While the Suns may seem reluctant to part ways with the 24-year-old Flanders, Hardwick did note that changes will be made in the coming months. The Suns could be in for an active off-season, with ties to star forwards Charlie Curnow and Jamie Elliott while also having a number of list spots open up.
"What we do know is we are looking to improve our list, but we'll address those over the coming months," Hardwick said.
"List management will come to fruition. What we do is know is we're very happy with our keys in Ethan Read, Ben King and Jed Walter, who we think is going to be a wonderful player for us moving forward. Jed is one of those guys who is going to take us into the next era."
Gold Coast notably hold a strong draft hand even as top eight finisher this season, owning Port Adelaide's Pick 6 in the National Draft as a result of the blockbuster three-team trade between them, the Power and Collingwood last off-season.
This position could see them become a big buyer of established talent in the trade period as Hardwick looks to improve the club from a good to a great team.
"We're probably a good side but not a great side at the moment so it's our job as an organisation to make sure we make that jump," Hardwick said following the loss.
"We've got a developing squad that's going to be very exciting moving forward. The challenge and the hardest part is [going from] the top six, top eight to the top four.
"That's the jump we have to make. We're under no illusion that's going to be hard."
