Gary Buckenara analyses Gold Coast’s list after the 2020 season

Jordan De Goey is looking for more money and Gold Coast should come knocking with a big contract to entice him to the club. List guru Gary Buckenara on what he’d offer and why he’d be a good fit at the Suns. Read his full list analysis.

Gary Buckenara analyses Gold Coast's list.

Gold Coast has finally turned the corner and the club can now start planning for a future that includes playing finals for the first time in its history.

It’s closer than you think. The Suns have the talent to be in the mix to play finals next year but 2022 is a more realistic target.

No high-profile player left the club last year and with no such departure expected again this year, it’s a huge credit to everyone at the club, especially senior coach Stuart Dew. Tom Lynch and Steven May were the last stars to leave in 2018.

The Suns have since stockpiled elite young talent via the draft and boast 11 players aged 21 or under with the potential to develop into stars of the AFL, including Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Ben King, Izak Rankine and Jack Lukosius. That number is the envy of every club and critically, these players have all signed long-term contracts. It’s a major endorsement of the club’s direction and it means Gold Coast can be viewed as a genuine place for players from rival clubs to consider playing footy.

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Matt Rowell was impressive before getting injured this year.

Ben King looks good as a key forward. Picture: Michael Klein

These players are guys you can build your club around and they have the talent to form the nucleus of a premiership contender in the future, with the right development and further recruitment of established players to fill list needs. Hugh Greenwood and Brandon Ellis are two great examples of targeting players who suit specific needs and have brought a level of professionalism.

The job isn’t done, however, and player retention will always be an area that can get away from clubs like Gold Coast and Brisbane, but the Suns can look no further than the Lions to see what’s possible in a short period.

LIST NEEDS

Gold Coast’s recruiting team has done a good job drafting a mix of players – forwards, mids, backs, talls and smalls in recent years to give the list balance. That means the Suns can now turn their attention to attracting free agents and uncontracted A and B-grade players from rival clubs to add established star power.

We finally got to see what Izak Rankine can do at AFL level and he looks every bit a future star. Picture: Michael Klein

TRADE TARGETS

Brad Crouch was interested in joining the Suns last year but no deal was done. They should be looking at him again because his contested ball-winning ability would help take the pressure off and release Greenwood to potentially kick more goals.

Why not throw a huge offer at Jordan De Goey? Reports are he’s talking to other clubs and looking for more money and while Collingwood is confident he’ll stay, nothing is guaranteed until he’s signed on the dotted line. He’d be a huge marquee signing. De Goey would want a five-year deal to leave the Magpies, so start at $700,000 per season with incentives attached, such as games played, best and fairest, Brownlow top five etc, giving him the capacity to earn more. Why not pitch the chance be part of what could be a special young group with Rowell, Rankine, King etc?

The trade to get him would be complicated because Collingwood would demand a huge price. Gold Coast currently has pick No.5 but I think that’s overs due to his inconsistency. I’d look at trading picks 5 and 24 to the Magpies for De Goey, pick 12 and 34.

Isaac Smith would be an ideal get who wouldn’t cost much in a trade given Hawthorn has a history of trading premiership players cheaply to other clubs if they can extend their careers. He has links to the Suns with ex-Hawks footy boss Mark Evans up there as CEO. He can help show the young players what it takes to build a premiership work ethic and culture. It’s a no-brainer.

It is time for the Suns to target A and B-graders rather than the B and C types of the past.

Gold Coast should put a big offer on the table to land Jordan De Goey from Collingwood. Picture: Michael Klein

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UNTOUCHABLES

Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Jack Lukosius, Izak Rankine, Ben King, Ben Ainsworth, Jez McLennan, Wil Powell, Connor Budarick, Sam Flanders, Charlie Ballard and Will Brodie.

TRADE BAIT

Every year Peter Wright’s name is thrown up as a trade target and this year is no different. With the emergence of King and Sam Day holding down centre half forward, Wright can’t get a look in. He’s also been overtaken by Josh Corbett, while Lukosius can play back or forward, so now is the time to trade him while he still has currency. With a number of clubs desperate for a forward-ruck, the Suns could get a top-30 pick for him.

Will Brodie has been linked to a move but as a former No.9 draft pick who plays as an inside midfielder and is 189cm, I’d have him as an untouchable. At 22 he’s about to hit his straps and if the Suns can’t get a Crouch type as an inside midfielder, I’d be giving him regular senior opportunities so he can get some continuity. Find out if he can live up to his potential. I’d only trade him if it was in a deal to get an A or B-grader from a rival club.

Peter Wright’s career has stalled.

Will Brodie has played just 20 career games since making his AFL debut in 2017. Picture: Getty

RATING THE LIST

A-grade: Nil

B: Ainsworth, Bowes, Collins, Day, Greenwood, Harbrow, Miller, Sexton, Swallow, Weller, Witts, Weller

C: Burgess, Corbett, Ellis, Fiorini, Hombsch, Lemmens, Macpherson, Murdoch, Smith, Thompson, Wright

Developing (with A or B-grade potential): Anderson, Ballard, Brodie, Budarick, Flanders, King, Lukosius, McLennan, Powell, Rankine, Rowell

Developing: Conroy, Farrar, Graham, Murtagh, Rosas, Sharp, Towey

What the ratings mean:

A-grade: Elite player on any AFL list

B: Top 10-18 player on most lists

C: An 18-30 player on a list

Developing: Aged 21 or under

CRYSTAL BALL

There were promising signs from the Suns this season. They play an exciting brand of football built on fast and slick ball movement and pressure around the contest and the success of that should mean the players and coaches can build on it for 2021. If Gold Coast can have a good free agency and trade period and add an established player or two from rival clubs, while keeping its exciting young list together, they can knock on the door of finals next year. I see them as a team in the 9-12 bracket, with 2022 the year to target to play finals.

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Originally published as Gary Buckenara analyses Gold Coast’s list after the 2020 season