Gold Coast have officially submitted a bid for an AFLW team to enter the competition in 2019.
With all bids needing to be provided to the AFL by 4.30pm on Friday, June 16, the Suns' submission for an AFL license was handed to the league on the final day of eligibility.
Suns Chief Executive Mark Evans said it was time the Gold Coast submitted their bid for a women's team, and said the community is ready to support the AFLW competition.
โThe talented girls of Queensland deserve another AFL Women's team and the Gold Coast SUNS, the Gold Coast community and North Queensland are ready to get behind our girls,โ Evans told the club's website.
โAn AFLW license awarded to the SUNS will deepen our links within these communities and to give our girls the opportunity to truly represent their families, communities and their already strong talent pathways.
โImagine what this can do to build upon the work of AFL Queensland and to help encourage young girls to become and remain active.
โWe want to be the best club in the country at integrating our male and female academies and pathways, all the way up to our elite AFL teams."
The Suns join St Kilda, Geelong, Richmond, North Melbourne, West Coast, Essendon and Hawthorn as the clubs next in line for AFLW expansion, with Sydney and Port Adelaide not bidding on sides this time around.
Of the eight clubs that are bidding for expansion in 2019, the Saints, Cats, Tigers, Eagles and Roos all have provisional licences, and will be the frontrunners when the AFL announces an expansion with a minimum of two new clubs for the 2019 AFLW season.
