Gun draftees set to take part in Gold Coast Suns practice game against Brisbane Lions

The Suns have confirmed their gun draft crop will take centre stage in this weekend’s practice game against the Brisbane Lions.

THE Suns have confirmed their gun draft crop will take centre stage in this weekend’s practice game against the Brisbane Lions.

Gold Coast will play the Lions on Saturday at Metricon Stadium from 4.10pm in a free event to be held following the club’s historic first AFLW home game against Richmond.

The two clubs will play four full quarters of football and will each roll out 30 players for the clash.

Gold Coast football manager Jon Haines confirmed fans were likely to see their top draft picks playing against an opponent for the first time.

The Gold Coast Suns 2019 new recruits and draftees. (back l-r), Patrick Murtagh, Matt Conroy, Jy Farrar, Jeremy Sharp, Noah Anderson. (front l-r) Connor Budarick, Luke Towey, Sam Flanders, Malcolm Rosas Jnr, and Matthew Rowell. Picture: Jerad Williams

Among them is no. 1 and 2 draft picks Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, Sam Flanders, Jeremy Sharp and Jy Farrar, Connor Budarick, Matt Conroy, Malcolm Rosas, Patrick Murtagh and Irishman Luke Towey.

Rowell and Anderson will attract huge interest should they play, with the Oakleigh Chargers midfielders arriving with huge hype at the end of 2019.

Rowell is a two-time underage All-Australian who averaged 24.8 disposals, 5.2 clearances and six tackles in the 2019 AFL Under-18 Championships while Anderson captained Victoria Metro at the Championships, averaging 23.5 disposals (10.8 contested) and 5.2 clearances on his way to becoming an All-Australian.

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“We have been in consultation with Brisbane and they will be using a similar philosophy to us in the sense they will rest some players and play a younger team,” Haines said.

“People will get an opportunity to see a lot of our first year players and a big chunk of our second and third-year group as well.”

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Gold Coast will confirm their squad of 30 for the fixture following Thursday’s training session.

Among those unavailable for selection are injured group Mitch Riordan (ACL), Wil Powell (knee), Jack Hombsch (ribs), Charlie Ballard (shoulder), Jarrod Witts (foot) and Rory Thompson who is working his way back from an ACL injury.