Gold Coast Academy prospect Zeke Uwland has been tasked with overcoming plenty of adversity on his journey to the AFL.
A projected top five pick in the 2025 National Draft, Uwland missed the first half of his draft year due to a back injury but returned to play several games in the Suns' VFL team.
Speaking on Gettable Draft Countdown on Wednesday, Uwland said he's found greater appreciation for his special draft night moment after being tasked with an enduring six months of recovery before taking to the footy field competitively again.
"In hindsight, I had a lot of benefits... It's allowed me to enjoy the moment for what it is a bit more," Uwland said.
"I've been able to really absorb this last week and take it for what it is, and really enjoy my time with family and friends and soak in the moment, because you only get to be drafted once, and hopefully that's tonight."
Uwland understands the expectations he has to manage entering the league as an 18-year-old, but with guidance from a former top draft pick, he's feeling confident in his ability to make an impact.
Uwland underscored how his time spent in the VFL for Gold Coast has been beneficial in his path to the draft, as has been the lessons learned from the Suns' superstar recruit Christian Petracca this off-season - a former Pick 2 selection who missed his rookie season with an ACL tear.
"Christian's been great. He's really caring and been invested in my development and I'm really grateful to have him in my corner," Uwland said.
"I think if you're on an AFL list, the lowest level you're going to play is VFL, so getting that exposure [this year] and coming straight back through via the VFL was good exposure.
"I really like challenging myself too, so playing against the best opposition possible, I really enjoyed that.
"I was just happy to be out there. I wanted to hone in on a role playing for the VFL side."
Uwland poses as a damaging flanker at the next level, with his drive, kicking and leadership setting a high standard across his time in Queensland and drawing comparisons to Sydney star Errol Gulden.
The recent mentorship from Petracca serves as another reason for why he may strike immediate form at the senior level, though his potential role under Damien Hardwick remains unclear.
However, given his dynamic skillset, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the younger brother of Bohdi Uwland line up in the Suns' best 23 come Opening Round.
