SA stars Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine vow to support each other at struggling Gold Coast

South Australian stars Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine have vowed to help each other through their AFL journey after they were both drafted to struggling Gold Coast on Thursday night.

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South Australian stars Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine have vowed to help each other through their AFL journey after they were both drafted to struggling Gold Coast on Thursday night.

Key forward Lukosius and brilliant small forward/midfielder Rankine went, as expected, to the Suns at picks two and three respectively after Carlton took Victorian midfield Sam Walsh at No. 1.

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has warned that the Suns, who finished second bottom this year, face a world of pain next season and could be the worst team in VFL-AFL history after losing a raft of key players, including co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May.

But Lukosius and Rankine — classmates at Henley High School and long-time teammates and opponents in junior, State under-age and SANFL league football — say they will support each other through their journey.

Gold Coast’s Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine with Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee. Picture: Michael Klein

“It’s going to help heaps having a friendly face that I know there,’’ Lukosius, 18, said.

“We’re great mates and have been through a fair bit together so it will be awesome to continue the journey with him.

“To go with Izak and another mate Ben (Victorian tall Ben King) is great but I’m just excited to meet everyone up there and start building some relationships.

“It’s just an awesome feeling to get drafted and something I’ve always wanted to happen.’’

Rankine, 18, said he looked forward to linking up with Lukosius and former West teammate

Chris Burgess, who joined the Suns as a pre-draft access player.

Gold Coast draftees Jack Lukosius, Izak Rankine and Ben King at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night. Picture: Michael Klein

“It’s a dream come true,’’ said Rankine, who has publicly stated he wants to win a Brownlow Medal.

“To go with Jack makes me a feel a bit more comfortable and ‘Burgo’ is also up there, so now I’m just keen to get into it.

“Me and Jack have learned off each other and ‘Burgo’ always wants to learn too, so we go to each other all the time.

They’ve been opponents, classmates and U18s teammates, now they’re starting their AFL careers together at the @GoldCoastSUNS. Go well Luko & Ranks! 🤩🙌 #AFLDraft pic.twitter.com/NZCF9GKM1M

— SANFL (@SANFL) November 22, 2018

“Being together will make us all feel more comfortable and I’m just relieved it (the draft) is all over because it’s been a big build-up for two years and I’m just excited for the next chapter.

“The club wants to get better and me and Jack want to help them do it.’’

Lukosius, from Woodville-West Torrens, and Rankine, from West Adelaide, headlined an amazing crop of SA players this year, with North Adelaide’s Connor Rozee going to Port Adelaide at No. 5.

Central District’s Jackson Hately is welcomed to the Giants by Adam Tomlinson at Marvel Stadium. Picture: AAP Image/James Ross

The last time SA had three players go in the top five was in 1995 when Port’s Clive Waterhouse went to Fremantle at No. 1, Norwood’s Matthew Primus to Fitzroy at two and North Adelaide’s Scott Bamford to the Lions at four.

Another Croweater also was drafted in the first round at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium last night, with Central District’s Jackson Hately going to GWS at 14.

Not since 2010 has SA had four players selected in the top 14.

While Port swooped on utility Rozee, Adelaide’s desire to package picks to move up the draft to have a shot at Lukosius and Rankine was blunted when the Suns held on to their high-end picks.

Lukosius has been compared to St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt while Rankine is rated as the second coming of Adelaide’s dual Norm Smith Medallist Andrew McLeod.

Lukosius and Rankine were the highest picks from SA since Jimmy Toumpas went at No. 4 from Woodville-West Torrens to Melbourne in 2012.

“We can chase our dream together now,’’ said Rankine.

2018 AFL DRAFT FIRST ROUND

1 Carlton — Sam Walsh (Geelong Falcons)

2 Gold Coast — Jack Lukosius (WWT Eagles)

3 Gold Coast — Izak Rankine (West Adelaide)

4 St Kilda — Max King (Sandringham)

5 Port Adelaide — Connor Rozee (North Adelaide)

6 Gold Coast — Ben King (Sandringham)

7 Western Bulldogs — Bailey Smith (Sandringham)

8 North Melbourne — Tarryn Thomas (North Launcestion)

9 Adelaide — Chayce Jones (Launceston)

10 Sydney Swans — Nick Blakey (UNSW)

11 GWS Giants — Jye Caldwell (Bendigo)

12 Port Adelaide — Zak Butters (Western Jets)

13 Collingwood — Isaac Quaynor (Oakleigh Chargers)

14 GWS Giants — Jackson Hately (Central District)

15 Geelong Cats — Jordan Clark (Claremont)

16 Adelaide — Edward McHenry (Geelong Falcons)

17 Fremantle — Sam Sturt (Dandenong Stingrays)

18 Port Adelaide — Xavier Duursma (Gippsland Power)

19 Carlton — Liam Stocker (Sandringham Dragons)

20 Richmond — Riley (Collier-Dawkins) Oakleigh Chargers

21 Brisbane Lions — Ely Smith (Murray Bushrangers)

22 GWS Giants — Xavier O’Halloran (Western Jets)