Gold Coast Suns 2023 AFL Preview & Predictions

<p>It’s tough being a sporting franchise on the Gold Coast, just ask the Titans, or Gold Coast United.</p> <p>The Gold Coast Suns are just one of many underperforming, underachieving and underwhelming clubs who call or have called, the Glitter Strip home.</p> <p>After twelve years as an AFL franchise, the Suns are yet to play finals football. After more than a decade, the excuse of “we’re a new club” has well and truly worn off.</p> <p>Look at GWS, they joined the AFL a season after the Suns, and have played finals footy multiple times, even making a grand final in 2019.</p> <p>The good news for the GC faithful is their team does appear to be on the up and up. Last year the Suns managed their joint best ever finish and will be hoping to build on that as they push for an inaugural finals berth.</p> <p>So, is this the year they finally break their finals duck? Or is another season of mediocrity on the cards?</p> <p>For all the latest and greatest Gold Coast Suns tips and predictions ahead of the new season, read our preview of the club below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Key Gains</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p><strong><em>Jed Anderson (Supplemental selection period)</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Tom Berry (Brisbane Lions)</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Connor Blakely (Rookie Draft)</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Bailey Humphrey (No.6 draft pick)</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Lloyd Johnston (Category B rookie)</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Ben Long (St Kilda)</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Brodie McLaughlin (Supplemental selection period)</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Jake Stein (Rookie Draft)</em></strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The signing of Ben Long from St Kilda is a shrewd piece of business from the Suns.</p> <p>The 25-year-old defender has been brought in to bolster a backline that will be missing Lachie Weller and Connor Budarick as they both recover from knee reconstructions.</p> <p>In addition to Long who is expected to slot straight into the starting side, former Lion Tom Berry should grab a place on the interchange as he looks to break into the starting side.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Key Losses</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p><em><strong>Jack Bowes (Geelong Cats)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Matt Conroy (Delisted)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Josh Corbett (Fremantle Dockers)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Jez McLennan (Delisted)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Oleg Markov (Delisted)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Patrick Murtagh (Delisted)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Rhys Nicholls (Delisted)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Izak Rankine (Adelaide Crows)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Rory Thompson (Retired)</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The longest-serving player in the Gold Coast Suns’ history Rory Thompson has made the decision to retire.</p> <p>Thompson has been with the club since it’s inception but has not featured in a game since 2018 due to persisting knee injuries which have ultimately cut his career short.</p> <p>While Thompson is more of a sentimental loss, the departure of exciting youngster Izak Rankine will be more heavily felt.</p> <p>The up-and-coming attacker has been allowed to return home to Adelaide and has the potential to develop into one of the league’s top offensive players.</p> <p>Elsewhere, forward Josh Corbett has traded the Glitter Strip for the purple haze of Fremantle.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Player To Watch</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p><em><strong>Matt Rowell</strong></em></p> <p>Fresh off signing a new two-year deal, midfielder Matt Rowell will be one to watch for the Gold Coast Suns this season.</p> <p>The former No.1 draft pick is coming off the back of his most consistent season in the AFL to date.</p> <p>The 21-year-old averaged 19 disposals, seven tackles and six clearances per game in 2022 as he played all 22 games of the regular season.</p> <p>In 2020, Rowell burst onto the AFL scene like few players before him, polling nine Brownlow votes in the first three games of his career.</p> <p>Now three years removed from that incredible start, Rowell has become a true midfield bulldog.</p> <p>Supported in the middle of the park by his equally tireless teammates Touk Miller and Noah Anderson, Rowell has traded his early explosiveness for sustained consistency.</p> <p>If the Suns are to finally play finals football in 2023, Matt Rowell will be a huge part of the reason why.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Gold Coast Suns’ Season Prediction</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>Predicted finish: <strong>11th</strong></p> <p>With the core of their team remaining the same, the Suns will be hoping to use this stability as a launch pad for a finals charge.</p> <p>They’re also coming off the back of their best ever season in the AFL and there were patches last season where they played some genuinely eye-catching footy.</p> <p>The loss of Rankine is a spanner in the works, but the re-signing of Matt Rowell and the addition of Ben Long are both astute pieces of business.</p> <p>An inaugural finals berth is not beyond the realms of possibility, although it still looks very unlikely at the moment, such is the current competitiveness of the league.</p> <p>All in all, the sun is certainly rising on the Gold Coast, if only slowly at the moment.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Gold Coast Suns’ Best 22</h3> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p><strong>B:</strong> Caleb Graham, Sam Collins, Sean Lemmens</p> <p><strong>HB:</strong> Wil Powell, Charlie Ballard, Ben Long</p> <p><strong>C:</strong> Brandon Ellis, Noah Anderson, Elijah Hollands</p> <p><strong>HF:</strong> Ben Ainsworth, Mabior Chol, David Swallow</p> <p><strong>F:</strong> Nick Holman, Ben King, Jack Lukosius</p> <p><strong>Foll:</strong> Jarrod Witts, Matt Rowell, Touk Miller</p> <p><strong>I/C: </strong>Jy Farrar, Alex Davies, Sam Flanders, Tom Berry</p>