Connor Nutting reveals how he was dropped from Gold Coast Suns academy and how he bounced back

SUNS recruit Connor Nutting says his axing from Gold Coast’s academy was the stimulus behind the rapid improvement that convinced the club to draft him.

Gold Coast Suns player Connor Nutting opens up about his journey to the club’s AFL list.

SUNS recruit Connor Nutting says his axing from Gold Coast’s academy was the stimulus behind the rapid improvement that convinced the club to draft him.

Nutting’s football skills led to inclusion in the Suns academy as a 16-year-old but his lack of running endurance and overall fitness provided a roadblock that almost cost him his shot at the AFL.

The Broadbeach Cats junior — taken at pick 55 of this year’s draft — was dropped from the academy the following year in a move that ultimately enabled him to become the player he wanted to be.

“They sat me down and said look we are keen to have you stay with us but not for the games they were playing with the academy at the time,” Nutting said of his academy departure.

“They told me go back to club footy and play footy there and do what you can.”

Nutting enlisted the help of Broadbeach volunteer and former VFL umpire Murray Williams who helped craft the Suns halfback in to a running machine in 2016.

“I went back to club level and worked on my fitness which was my key area that I needed to focus on,” Nutting said.

“All my other areas like kicking and speed and stuff was all well over the bar.

“I was doing extra running sessions and training on top of that as well. That ended up getting me a spot to play on the Broadbeach senior team for the whole season.

“Murray took me for running sessions over the whole preseason and throughout the year. We were just doing progressive work, getting three to 6km in on sessions and building my technique.”

Gold Coast were keeping tabs on Nutting’s journey and brought him back in to the academy this year where he has gone from strength to strength.

“Once I came back to the academy in the preseason I was a different player from what I was at the start of the year,” Nutting said.

“I went past some of the other guys and showed quite a big improvement from before which they were happy with.

“I put the hard work in and reap the rewards later is great.”