AFL: Sam Flanders on the mindset shift that turned him into a budding AFL superstar

Two years after his AFL career was in the balance, Sam Flanders is on the cusp of superstardom. He tells CALLUM DICK about the key shift which made it happen.

Gold Coast midfielder Sam Flanders is going the extra mile to make sure he stands out next year – in more ways than one.

Ahead of his sixth season on the Glitter Strip, the 23 year old has leant fully into the stereotype with a potent peroxide blonde haircut that almost glints lime green when the light hits it just right.

“A mix between Dave Swallow and Nick Holman I reckon,” is how Flanders describes his new look.

“I thought Nick looked really good with it and I wanted to copy him – and if you can look anything like Dave Swallow you’re doing pretty good, which I definitely don’t.”

Sam Flanders’ new look. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Flanders declared the look was almost certainly staying for Opening Round and so far the feedback has been “more positive than negative, which is a bit of a surprise”.

“I don’t think mum is too big a fan of it … but it will help my nan at home to see me on the TV, which is important.”

Sam Flanders has become one of Gold Coast’s key players.

Can Flanders make the leap to superstar status in 2025? Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Although he’s looking very much party on top it has been all about business for Flanders so far in pre-season.

The Suns’ reigning best and fairest runner-up will be a popular pick to make the jump to superstar status in 2025 after dominating both on-ball and across halfback in stints last season.

Now with the arrival of Daniel Rioli and John Noble in the trade period, the Suns can unleash the breakout ball-winner as a bona fide midfielder – and Flanders is doing all he can to be ready.

He was an opt-in participant for the dreaded 2km time trial late last month and subsequently topped the time sheet.

“I definitely didn’t need to do that,” Flanders said of the fitness test for the 1-4 year players.

“But our high performance coach, Alex Rigby, loves putting challenges to blokes and a couple of days before he got to me and said he thought it would be a good idea to run the 2km and try to win it.

Flanders enjoys a win with Suns fans. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“He put that challenge to me and I was feeling confident, feeling pretty fit, so I thought why not?”

It was an important statement from one of the Suns’ senior players that if the club was going to get to where it wants to next season, everyone has to be pulling in the same direction.

“That was something in the review at the end of last season that Dimma (coach Damien Hardwick) wanted me to focus on next year, was a lot more leadership, a lot more voice — that’s how we grow as a group.”

Only two years ago Flanders’ AFL career was teetering on the edge.

He had played 30 senior games in three seasons and was struggling not just for opportunity, but also confidence.

A breakout end to 2023 earned him a four-year extension and last season, the Gippsland Power product averaged a ridiculous 31 disposals and finished the year as arguably the Suns’ most in-form midfielder.

“Upon reflection it was obviously a very positive year for myself. I set some goals at the start of the year and was able to achieve those,” Flanders said.

“The biggest thing for me was being able to accept change — roll with the punches, whatever they may be. So whenever a coach came to me with a different position, instead of looking at it as a negative it was an opportunity.

“Just to play a game at all was a positive.”

Flanders says his mental approach has been key to his rise. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Flanders credits much of his AFL resurgence to the mental aspect of the game.

Last year, he spoke candidly with this masthead about the anxiety of being an AFL player and the inherent “fear” that comes with being dropped, or told you are not good enough.

Flanders maintains he never wants to feel “safe” at the selection table, lest he lose the cutting edge drive to continually improve.

Incredibly, he has weaponised an area that could be considered a weakness and turned into a strength. He is, a budding superstar without an ego.

Deep down, he will always be the boy from Fish Creek.

“I definitely put it down to my upbringing. I come from a very good family. Mum and dad raised all of us the right way, so a massive credit to them.

“And as Nick Holman says, ‘it’s free to smile’. I’m just trying to take that into every day and be the best person I can be.”

Originally published as AFL: Sam Flanders on the mindset shift that turned him into a budding AFL superstar