Gold Coast Suns Academy stars Georja Davies and Zeke Uwland locked and loaded for 2025 draft

The younger siblings of two Suns stars have been named in the club academy’s leadership groups. Meet the draft eligible superstars looking to carve out a career of their own.

Gold Coast Suns 2025 under-18 leadership group Jai Murray, Max Hudson, Beau Addinsall, Matthew Hoy, Cooper Collins, and Zeke Uwland (men) and Annabelle Foat, Ava Usher, Bronte Parker, Aasha Elliott, Sienna Burnham and Georja Davies (women). Picture: Gold Coast Suns

Gold Coast Suns Academy stars Zeke Uwland and Georja Davies will look to follow the familiar path laid down by their older siblings as the duo prepares for the 2025 AFL and AFLW drafts.

The pair are also members of the 2025 AFL Academy squads, which feature some of the top draft prospects from across the country.

Uwland is the younger brother of Suns AFL young gun Bodhi, while Davies, is the youngest sister of three AFLW contracted players with Giselle (Sydney), Fleur (GWS), and Darcie (Suns) all making it to AFLW lists.

With a massive year ahead of him, Uwland is looking to ensure he is in the best position to be drafted at the end of the year.

“Probably getting my body right and also developing my leadership as well,” he said.

“I think that is something that can be a really good quality in players and be a bit of a point of difference.

“It can also contribute to team success massively, which is really what you want to do at the end of the day.

“You play to win premierships and have team success, so that’s what I want to strive for.”

Uwland said focusing on performing as a team has helped reduce the pressure on a personal level, as he hoped to let the on-field results do the talking for him.

So far this has paid dividends with the No.1 draft pick contender earning under-18 All-Australian selection in 2024 while asserting himself as one of the most exciting players in this draft class.

“Obviously you have the pressure of the draft hanging over everyone’s head but at the end of the day, it’s about playing well as a team because if everyone can play well, it puts everyone’s best foot forward to hopefully get drafted,” he said.

Suns Academy leader Zeke Uwland. Picture: Gold Coast Suns

“We’ve seen it through my brother and other academy graduates, when you play well as a team and really prioritise the academy and use everything that’s available to you, you can get good results and hopefully end up on an AFL list.”

Uwland revealed the impact his brother had on his career as he hoped to line up alongside him at AFL level in the not too distant future.

“He’s been massive, we’ve obviously been lucky enough to train together over the course of the pre-season, just driving each other to be more professional,” he said.

“Seeing the pathway that he’s followed through the academy and using the facilities and coaches available has really inspired me and certainly other players throughout the academy.

“So I think seeing what he’s been able to do really holds me in stead to really aspire to be like him and follow his pathway.”

For Davies, 2025 has the potential to be a year where she can assert herself as a dynamic star of the future as she prepares to take on a new role, moving from the ruck to inside midfield.

With her biggest focus on improving her game IQ in her new role, she revealed some of the biggest challenges she is set to face.

Suns Academy leader Georja Davies Picture: Gold Coast Suns

“From always being that go-to tall ruck, changing to the midfielders … because obviously a tall and a small has positional differences on the field,” she said.

However Davies believes her fitness from her time as a ruck will hold her in good stead.

“Being a ruck last year, that’s why I could get up and down the ground so much and that’s why I am probably going to go easily in the midfield because of my fitness,” she said.

With three older sisters on AFLW lists, there has been plenty for Davies to learn from and she revealed the biggest impact they have had on her.

“I think all their training work ethics, it’s really inspired me that when I do get to that level, even now, just work really hard on my weaknesses and strengths,” she said.

“And just pre pre-season, just really working on myself and taking myself professionally.”

Davies and Uwland are both members of the Suns under-18 leadership group, with Jai Murray, Max Hudson, Beau Addinsall, Matthew Hoy and Cooper Collins part of the men’s leadership group, while Annabelle Foat, Ava Usher, Bronte Parker, Aasha Elliott and Sienna Burnham will serve as the leaders of the women’s side.