Suns make big call on club future to go youth

The Suns have opted to go go with youth in what could prove a key decision for the AFL club.

THE Gold Coast Suns will opt not to add two mature-age players to their NEAFL list despite the additional allowance and space to do so in 2020.

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AFL clubs are permitted to list seven players, including two mature-age recruits and five 19-year-old academy players, outside of their primary and rookie list under new rules put in place by the NEAFL in November.

The seven players would all sit under a separate salary cap, with league officials not disclosing the total player payments for the cap.

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The mature-age access could have given the Suns the ability to trial any potential mid-season or end-of-year recruits and assess them while playing in their own system.

But a Suns football department figure confirmed they would not seek to add the two mature-age recruits.

The club feels it has more than enough to work with on the back of the assistance package given to it by the AFL that provided added draft picks for the next three years, and an increased rookie list of up to 10 players.

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Gold Coast Suns Academy member Hewago Paul Oea. Picture: NEAFL/TJ YIELDS

Gold Coast have reached their capacity for their AFL senior and rookie list, with 51 players on the books plus Heawgo Paul Oea, an international scholarship holder who is permitted to play in the NEAFL.

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