Meet every player in the 2025 Gold Coast Suns under-18 Academy
Gold Coast’s under-18 men’s academy is stacked with talented stars who are set to take the AFL world by storm in years to come. With the 2025 AFL Draft only a few months away, we profile every player in the Suns Academy.
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The Gold Coast Suns Academy has thrived in recent years with several stars drafted to the Suns AFL side and becoming key members of the squad.
This year’s talent pool in the under-18 men’s academy is no different, with several top-age talents set to be highly sought after in this year’s national draft.
Check out the key traits of every player in the squad below.
Beau Addinsall
A Burleigh Bombers junior boasting elite work rate as a classy inside midfielder.
Addinsall represented the Allies in 2025 and has played at VFL level for the Suns in the last two years.
He was a key player for Gold Coast during the Coates Talent League season and is one of the most exciting prospects in this year’s draft.
Addinsall has shown he is not afraid of the big stage, with superb performances in youth national championships, the VFL and the Futures Game as the curtain raiser for the AFL grand final also year at the MCG.
Brae Agrums
An athletic tall defender hailing from Port Douglas in North Queensland.
Wasn’t able to feature in the Coates Talent League campaign but featured in the Labrador QAFL Colts side.
He hails from a talented family as his dad Lucas Agrums played NBL in the 90s.
Jez Brindley
A small running defender who broke through for his senior debut at Burleigh Bombers in 2025.
He has solid ball skills and made the step up form the under-16 Academy last year.
Jake Callinan
A big bodied inside midfielder who is an imposing presence standing at 190cm.
He featured in all four Coates Talent League matches for the Suns, averaging three inside 50s and 14 disposals.
Luke Chapman
Most often seen on a wing with strong endurance and showed off great decision making in four Coates Talent League matches.
Chapman continues to improve in the Suns program and has strong all-round fundamental skills.
Riley Clark
A 196cm ruck product from Palm Beach Currumbin with great ruck craft and exceptional skills for a prospect of his size.
Cooper Collins
A hybrid forward with good goal sense and ability to work up and down the ground.
Collins represented the Allies in 2025 and kicked eight goals in four Coates Talent League matches.
His efforts were rewarded with a VFL debut in April.
Koby Coulson
A Broadbeach Cats junior with elite pressure as an elite inside midfielder.
He earned a VFL debut in 2025 and averaged just shy of 30 touches in four Coates Talent League matches.
Coulson dominates around the stoppage and has a strong footy IQ.
Lachlan Cramp
A hybrid defender who’s shown capacity to play in the engine room.
Cramp featured in the Coates Talent League campaign and has become a regular face in the Suns’ VFL side.
Zac Eckersley
Boasting excellent endurance, Eckersley is a strong utility prospect who can play through both the wing and on-ball.
He featured in the Coates Talent League in both 2024 and 2025, playing all four matches in this year.
Harrison Gray
A small running defender with a wealth of footy IQ that has put his best foot forward for the Suns Academy at U18 level in the last two years.
He has also played for the Palm Beach Currumbin QAFL Reserves team on several occasions.
Jesse Harding
Harding is a hybrid forward/defender whose athleticism enables him to be swung in both the forward and defensive lines – he is a former Queensland Under 17 representative.
Jonah Harris
A powerful ruckman standing at 199cm with excellent ruck craft that featured in the Coates Talent League in 2024 and 2025 as well as being named in the Allies side in 2025.
Harry Heathcote
A super athletic key defender from Palm Beach Currumbin who earned opportunities in the Coates Talent League and at QAFL level with the Lions.
Archie Hill
With elite endurance and running capacity, Hill is a strong inside/outside midfielder who averaged 15 touches and four inside 50s in four Coates Talent League matches in 2025.
Matthew Hoy
Hoy is small forward from Labrador with elite tackle pressure and good sense around goal.
He has featured strongly in the Suns academy games over the last two years.
Max Hudson
Another versatile talent, Hudson is a hybrid forward/defender with excellent marking power that has earned him a VFL debut midway through 2025.
Maddox Iverach
Iverach is a high forward with incredible tackle pressure with elite marking capacity.
He has earned opportunities in the Academy Under 18 program in both the last two seasons.
Jackson Jarvis
A hybrid defender who boasts a strong overhead mark.
Standing at 190cm, Jarvis has featured on occasion for Palm Beach Currumbin in the QAFL Colts this year.
Ethan Johnston
The Tweed Coolangatta product is an athletic ruck and is well skilled for a player standing over two metres tall.
He didn’t break through for any opportunities in the Coates Talent League in 2025 but has proven himself as a coachable player with a solid base and room to develop.
Cooper Johnson
A well-polished running defender who’s had plenty of opportunity further up the ground on a wing. The Southport Sharks product is silky by foot and hand.
Lachlan Jones
Jones is a skilful running defender who featured in all four Coates Talent League matches in 2025, averaging 10 disposals and four marks.
Leroy Kaesler
A high forward with a keen eye for goal and elite skillset.
He featured in all four Coates Talent League matches, including three goals in one outing.
Ned Lawton
While not able to breakthrough in the Coates Talent League, the key defender has plied his trade for Palm Beach Currumbin’s QAFL Colts side in 2025 and is strong overhead.
Ty Lockwood
A versatile tall whose supreme athleticism has seen him swing between the ruck and forward line.
The Tweed Coast Tigers product is a dual sport star, with his physical presence making him a gun basketballer.
Isaac Mayne
A key player in the Suns Academy in recent years, Mayne is a great running defender with intercepting capabilities as well as the ability to play as an inside midfielder.
He played two Coates Talent League matches in 2025 and was among the best in one.
Jai Murray
Murray is another elite member of this squad who has earned All-Australian honours with the Suns.
He has a strong skillset and the capacity to play both inside and outside the contest. He slotted home two goals in as many Coates Talent League games in what was his third campaign in the competition.
Murray featured in the Suns VFL team last year and put in a solid performance in the Futures Game.
Sam Murray
One of several members hailing from the Ormeau Bulldogs, Murray’s strong marking capacity is his key trait as a key forward.
He takes the ball at its highest point and is strong in the contested battles.
Taj Murray
Hailing from the Northern Territory, Murray is elite running wingman who can play inside as well and starred for the Allies in three matches at the Under 18 Championships.
During the championships he made a statement with a three-goal haul against South Australia.
He wins the ball with ease with his mix of pace and power and earned All-Australian U15 selection as a 14-year-old.
Dylan Patterson
One of the highest-touted prospects in this year’s draft, Patterson averaged 21.5 disposals for the Allies as an elite running defender and boasts exceptional speed.
He can play off halfback or on the wing and brings plenty of energy.
His stellar performances across various levels of football in the last two years make him an exciting prospect for years to come.
Grady Turner
Turner is a key defender with excellent marking power who’s earned opportunities with the Allies and at VFL level as well in 2025.
Zeke Uwland
The younger brother of Suns AFL star Bodhi, Uwland has an injury-hampered year but has shone in previous seasons as an inside/outside midfielder with a penetrating kick.
Uwland was touted as one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class after a stunning 2024 where he earned U18 All-Australian selection as a bottom-ager.
He is a versatile option who can also make a mark off halfback.
He has a lethal left boot and can hit the scoreboard as well, which he proved in last year’s Futures game.
Uwland asserted himself as one of the top talents in this year’s draft class with 22 disposals and two goals for Team Sloane at the MCG.
Kodi Wallace
A bottom-age player who only turns 16 in late July, the 177cm crafty small forward prospect from the Burleigh Bombers is one to watch with a keen eye for goal.
Riley Weir
Boasting great football IQ as a hybrid small defender/forward, Weir has starred with Tweed Coolangatta’s senior side in 2025 as a 17-year-old.
Elijah Welsh
Another of the Academy’s 17-year-old prospects who have played plenty of strong football in the QFA Seniors, showing fantastic pressure as a small inside midfielder.
Jesse Wenzel
A super athletic hybrid forward who will be looking to take further steps in his top-age year in 2026 – has played plenty of senior football in the Broadbeach Cats reserves in 2025.
Kalani White
The son of Melbourne superstar ruck Jeff White, the 198cm star provides a key option across all three lines with a strong overheard mark.
White will have a decision to make later in the year as he is father-son eligible with the Demons and eligible to be drafted by the Suns through the Academy.
He starred for the Allies in the previous two seasons and earned All-Australian honours in 2024.
White is a member of the AFL Academy and gave fans glimpses of why he could be a star in years to come with strong performances against VFL sides earlier in the year.
Caleb Williams
Williams is an incredibly fast small attacking prospect with exceptional forward craft.
Sam Wundke
Wundke earned an opportunity in one Coates Talent League match in 2025 and showed excellent skills as a versatile key forward/ruck
Noah Young
The Coomera Magpies product is a young hybrid forward who boasts strong hands and a silky set of skills.
Originally published as Meet every player in the 2025 Gold Coast Suns under-18 Academy
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