The men who will lead the Gold Coast Suns into action this AFL season

WE reveal the leadership group who will back up Gold Coast Suns co-captains Steven May and Tom Lynch this AFL season.

GOLD Coast have stuck with co-captains Steven May and Tom Lynch for the coming season, and elevated second-year Suns pair Pearce Hanley and Jarrod Witts to leadership positions.

It will mean Lynch — the face of the club, a restricted free agent and the biggest out-of-contract star in the game — will have little chance of avoiding constant questioning over his future.

The Suns leadership team for the 2018 AFL season (from left) Pearce Hanley, Touk Miller, Matt Rosa, co-captains Steven May and Tom Lynch, Michael Barlow, David Swallow and Jarrod Witts. Photo: Michael Willson/AFL Media

The 25-year-old stands to become the biggest earner in the game if he can recapture his stellar form of 2015 and 2016 this season.

He has indicated he will not begin to consider his options until the midway point of the season, with the Suns determining the uncertainty over his future should have no bearing on his leadership credentials.

New coach Stuart Dew, who has seen co-captaincy models work with success while an assistant coach at Sydney, said the attitude of the pair over the summer had made them obvious candidates to again lead the side.

The playing list, football department staff and the board were all canvassed on the captaincy before the decision was made to stick with the pair of foundation stars.

“Both Tom and Steven have been extremely invested in the program since my arrival on the Gold Coast, and have earned the privilege of captaining our club for a second year,” he said.

David Swallow, Matt Rosa, Michael Barlow and Touk Miller will again join Lynch and May in the player leadership group, and will be joined by Witts and Hanley, who earned elevation after making an immediate impact on their teammates in their first season at the Suns last year.

“Both Jarrod and Pearce are experienced AFL players, and have demonstrated significant leadership capabilities over the pre-season,” Dew said.

“The eight-man leadership group will work closely with myself and the entire football department to ensure we can create an environment that is aligned to our values and provides the best possible opportunity for growth both on and off the field.”

Veteran midfielder Michael Rischitelli, another foundation Sun and inaugural member of the leadership group, has elected to step down.

The 32-year-old, who is expected to retire at the end of the season, has a fight to regain his position in the senior side after most of his 2017 campaign was wiped out following a knee reconstruction in 2016.