The Gold Coast Suns ended the first night of the 2025 National Draft with four matched bids on their Academy prospects, making them the busiest team on the night.
Two of those selections came in the top five, with the Suns claiming stars Zeke Uwland (Pick 2) and Dylan Patterson (Pick 5) as West Coast and Richmond tested the waters with bids on the duo.
However, Patterson's arrival on the stage at Marvel Stadium was only a recent possibility, as he had made a tough decision on whether he wanted to pursue his AFL dream, or take up one of the many lucrative offers presented to him by rugby league clubs.
"Obviously, there's little bites from everywhere and you think, 'let me have a look'," Patterson told media following his selection on Wednesday night.
Ultimately, Patterson made the call to pursue Aussie Rules football as he prioritised his love of the game over the monetary benefits rugby league recruiters had offered him.
"At the end of the day, it's the bravery to push that aside and play the game because you love it," Patterson said.
"The money looks nice at the time but having the enjoyment [is more important]. I have plenty of time to commit and have responsibilities to one thing, so just being able to enjoy [sport] with my mates is more important to me.
"When it came to the pointy end, it was pretty easy to make a decision. I had the right people around me, the right coaches and we're going on an upward trajectory."
Patterson highlighted that the success he's enjoyed with his Gold Coast Academy teammates played a role in his decision, with the Suns' AFL side also entering its greatest era in club history.
"Success definitely has a factor in it. If you're losing all the time, you're not having fun," Patterson said.
"It's hard to say because I'm not in that position, but I'm definitely glad we had such a successful group come through at the same time and I just happened to be a part of it. It made it easier to make a decision."
Fellow top draftee Uwland praised Patterson's decision, as well as his growth in his draft year that saw him firmly entrench himself as a genuine Pick 1 contender for much of the season.
Patterson's power and creativity with ball in hand makes him an elite x-factor for the Suns, and arguably has been the most damaging player in the 2025 draft class, evident when looking at his play for Gold Coast's VFL side, which included back-to-back games of 20-plus disposals, six-plus intercepts and six-plus marks to round out the year.
"[Patterson] had five or so rugby league contract offers and he stuck fat with footy. It shows what type of character 'Dyl' is," Uwland said.
"I think that's a really great reflection of his character and I really admired him for that.
"Internally, Dylan's been a really valued player. He's got the speed and athleticism everyone wishes they had. I certainly wish I had that sort of ability.
"Dylan's growth has been amazing and this year, he's really honed in on his craft and he's been a lot more diligent with his work ethic. That's really shone through and that's why he's gone Pick 5 tonight."
Gold Coast also selected Jai Murray (Pick 17) and Beau Addinsall (Pick 18) on Wednesday via matched bids, and could select a fifth Academy prospect in Koby Coulson in the latter rounds of the draft on Thursday night.
