AFL: Gold Coast Suns lose patience with under-performing Izak Rankine

The Gold Coast Suns have dumped Izak Rankine to the reserves, with his AFL spot going to debutant Joel Jeffrey.

Izak Rankine has paid the price for some poor form. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew has lost patience with Izak Rankine, dropping the prized draft pick to the Suns’ VFL side.

South Australian product Rankine, the third pick at the 2018 AFL draft, has paid the price for poor recent form.

“His last three weeks he hasn’t had the impact he would like so we’re going to get him to go back to the VFL and play a game there to regain confidence,” Dew said.

“His output’s still been okay but we think this is a lever that we’d like to pull at this stage of the year to just give him a bit of confidence.

“We’ve done it with a number of players this year, like Ben Ainsworth and Josh Corbett.”

Key forward Rankine, 21, has played 30 consecutive games for the Suns.

However, he has kicked just one goal in his past six matches, and was ordinary in the Suns’ 49-point weekend QClash loss to Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.

Izak Rankine has been dropped by the Gold Coast Suns. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Rankine’s pain is Joel Jeffrey’s gain, with the Suns Academy product to make AFL debut on Saturday against Melbourne.

Jeffrey, a 19-year-old Darwin product, last week kicked nine goals in a best-on-ground performance for the Suns’ VFL side against Aspley.

“He just comes in with confidence and with a really good month to six weeks behind him,” Dew said of Jeffrey.

“Whether it’s a front-end-square, he can mark it. He slides out really well defensively, he’s formidable when he’s on the lead as well because he’s a bit hard to match up on because he’s quite good at ground level.

“He’s always in here working on his craft whether it’s marking, goal kicking or game knowledge – he’s very coachable.”

AFL Fixture - 2022

Round 1
Wednesday, Mar 16	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs	MCG (SEVEN)	7:10pm	7:10pm
Thursday, Mar 17	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Carlton vs. Richmond	MCG (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Friday, Mar 18	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
St Kilda vs. Collingwood	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	7:50pm	7:50pm
Saturday, Mar 19	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Geelong vs. Essendon	MCG (FOX)	2:10pm	2:10pm
GWS Giants vs. Sydney Swans	Accor Stadium (FOX)	5:10pm	5:10pm
Brisbane Lions vs. Port Adelaide	The Gabba (SEVEN)	8:10pm	7:10pm
Sunday, Mar 20	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Hawthorn vs. North Melbourne	MCG (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
Adelaide Crows vs. Fremantle	Adelaide Oval (FOX)	4:10pm	3:40pm
West Coast Eagles vs. Gold Coast Suns	Optus Stadium (FOX)	7:40pm	4:40pm
Round 2
Thursday, Mar 24	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Western Bulldogs vs. Carlton	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	7:20pm	7:20pm
Friday, Mar 25	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Sydney Swans vs. Geelong	SCG (SEVEN)	7:50pm	7:50pm
Saturday, Mar 26	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Collingwood vs. Adelaide Crows	MCG (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
Essendon vs. Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	4:35pm	4:35pm
Port Adelaide vs. Hawthorn	Adelaide Oval (SEVEN)	7:40pm	7:10pm
Gold Coast Suns vs. Melbourne	Metricon Stadium (FOX)	8:00pm	7:00pm
Sunday, Mar 27	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
North Melbourne vs. West Coast Eagles	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
Richmond vs. GWS Giants	MCG (SEVEN)	3:20pm	3:20pm
Fremantle vs. St Kilda	Optus Stadium (FOX)	6:20pm	3:20pm
Round 3
Thursday, Mar 31	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Western Bulldogs vs. Sydney Swans	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	7:20pm	7:20pm
Friday, Apr 1	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
Melbourne vs. Essendon	MCG (SEVEN)	7:20pm	7:20pm
Adelaide Crows vs. Port Adelaide	Adelaide Oval (FOX)	8:20pm	7:50pm
Saturday, Apr 2	Stadium (Network)	EDT	Local
GWS Giants vs. Gold Coast Suns	GIANTS Stadium (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
Collingwood vs. Geelong	MCG (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Brisbane Lions vs. North Melbourne	The Gabba (FOX)	8:00pm	7:00pm
Sunday, Apr 3	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Carlton vs. Hawthorn	MCG (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
St Kilda vs. Richmond	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	3:20pm	3:20pm
West Coast Eagles vs. Fremantle	Optus Stadium (FOX)	6:20pm	4:20pm
Round 4
Thursday, Apr 7	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Port Adelaide vs. Melbourne	Adelaide Oval (SEVEN)	7:40pm	7:10pm
Friday, Apr 8	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Geelong vs. Brisbane Lions	GMHBA Stadium (SEVEN)	7:50pm	7:50pm
Saturday, Apr 9	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Sydney Swans vs. North Melbourne	SCG (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
Collingwood vs. West Coast Eagles	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	4:35pm	4:35pm
Richmond vs. Western Bulldogs	MCG (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Fremantle vs. GWS Giants	Optus Stadium (FOX)	7:25pm	5:25pm
Sunday, Apr 10	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Essendon vs. Adelaide Crows	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
Hawthorn vs. St Kilda	MCG (SEVEN)	3:20pm	3:20pm
Gold Coast Suns vs. Carlton	Metricon Stadium (FOX)	4:10pm	4:10pm
Round 5
Thursday, Apr 14	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Brisbane Lions vs. Collingwood	The Gabba (SEVEN)	7:35pm	7:35pm
Friday, Apr 15	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
North Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	4:20pm	4:20pm
West Coast Eagles vs. Sydney Swans	Optus Stadium (FOX)	7:40pm	5:40pm
Saturday, Apr 16	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
St Kilda vs. Gold Coast Suns	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
Adelaide Crows vs. Richmond	Adelaide Oval (FOX)	4:35pm	4:05pm
Melbourne vs. GWS Giants	MCG (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Sunday, Apr 17	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Carlton vs. Port Adelaide	MCG (FOX)	1:40pm	1:40pm
Essendon vs. Fremantle	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	4:40pm	4:40pm
Monday, Apr 18	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Hawthorn vs. Geelong	MCG (SEVEN)	3:20pm	3:20pm
Round 6
Friday, Apr 22	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
GWS Giants vs. St Kilda	Manuka Oval (SEVEN)	7:50pm	7:50pm
Saturday, Apr 23	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Western Bulldogs vs. Adelaide Crows	Mars Stadium (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
Port Adelaide vs. West Coast Eagles	Adelaide Oval (FOX)	4:35pm	4:05pm
Fremantle vs. Carlton	Optus Stadium (SEVEN)	7:40pm	5:40pm
Sunday, Apr 24	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
North Melbourne vs. Geelong	Blundstone Arena (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
Gold Coast Suns vs. Brisbane Lions	Metricon Stadium (FOX)	4:10pm	4:10pm
Richmond vs. Melbourne	MCG (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Monday, Apr 25	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Hawthorn vs. Sydney Swans	University of Tasmania Stadium (FOX)	12:30pm	12:30pm
Essendon vs. Collingwood	MCG (SEVEN)	3:20pm	3:20pm
Round 7
Friday, Apr 29	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
West Coast Eagles vs. Richmond	Optus Stadium (SEVEN)	8:10pm	6:10pm
Saturday, Apr 30	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Geelong vs. Fremantle	GMHBA Stadium (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
Adelaide Crows vs. GWS Giants	Adelaide Oval (FOX)	2:10pm	1:40pm
Melbourne vs. Hawthorn	MCG (FOX)	4:35pm	4:35pm
St Kilda vs. Port Adelaide	Cazalys Stadium (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Carlton vs. North Melbourne	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Sunday, May 1	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Collingwood vs. Gold Coast Suns	MCG (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
Western Bulldogs vs. Essendon	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	3:20pm	3:20pm
Sydney Swans vs. Brisbane Lions	SCG (FOX)	4:40pm	4:40pm
Round 8
Friday, May 6	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Port Adelaide vs. Western Bulldogs	Adelaide Oval (SEVEN)	7:30pm	7:00pm
Fremantle vs. North Melbourne	Optus Stadium (FOX)	8:40pm	6:40pm
Saturday, May 7	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Richmond vs. Collingwood	MCG (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
Sydney Swans vs. Gold Coast Suns	SCG (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
GWS Giants vs. Geelong	Manuka Oval (FOX)	4:35pm	4:35pm
Essendon vs. Hawthorn	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Brisbane Lions vs. West Coast Eagles	The Gabba (FOX)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Sunday, May 8	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Melbourne vs. St Kilda	MCG (FOX)	1:10pm	1:10pm
Carlton vs. Adelaide Crows	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	4:40pm	4:40pm
Round 9
Friday, May 13	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Collingwood vs. Western Bulldogs	Marvel Stadium (SEVEN)	7:50pm	7:50pm
Saturday, May 14	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Hawthorn vs. Richmond	MCG (FOX)	1:45pm	1:45pm
North Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide	Blundstone Arena (FOX)	2:10pm	2:10pm
St Kilda vs. Geelong	Marvel Stadium (FOX)	4:35pm	4:35pm
Sydney Swans vs. Essendon	SCG (SEVEN)	7:25pm	7:25pm
Adelaide Crows vs. Brisbane Lions	Adelaide Oval (FOX)	7:40pm	7:10pm
Sunday, May 15	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Gold Coast Suns vs. Fremantle	Metricon Stadium (FOX)	1:40pm	1:40pm
GWS Giants vs. Carlton	GIANTS Stadium (SEVEN)	3:20pm	3:20pm
West Coast Eagles vs. Melbourne	Optus Stadium (FOX)	5:20pm	3:20pm
Round 10
Friday, May 20	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Adelaide Crows vs. St Kilda	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Carlton vs. Sydney Swans	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Fremantle vs. Collingwood	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. Port Adelaide	GMHBA Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
GWS Giants vs. West Coast Eagles	GIANTS Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Hawthorn vs. Brisbane Lions	University of Tasmania Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
North Melbourne vs. Melbourne	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Richmond vs. Essendon	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. Gold Coast Suns	Mars Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 11
Friday, May 27	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Brisbane Lions vs. GWS Giants	The Gabba (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Collingwood vs. Carlton	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. Adelaide Crows	GMHBA Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Gold Coast Suns vs. Hawthorn	TIO Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Melbourne vs. Fremantle	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Port Adelaide vs. Essendon	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
St Kilda vs. North Melbourne	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Sydney Swans vs. Richmond	SCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
West Coast Eagles vs. Western Bulldogs	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 12
Friday, Jun 3	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Adelaide Crows vs. West Coast Eagles	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Fremantle vs. Brisbane Lions	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Gold Coast Suns vs. North Melbourne	TIO Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Hawthorn vs. Collingwood	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Melbourne vs. Sydney Swans	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. Geelong	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 13
Friday, Jun 10	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Brisbane Lions vs. St Kilda	The Gabba (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Collingwood vs. Melbourne	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Essendon vs. Carlton	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Fremantle vs. Hawthorn	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
North Melbourne vs. GWS Giants	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Richmond vs. Port Adelaide	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 14
Friday, Jun 17	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Gold Coast Suns vs. Adelaide Crows	Metricon Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
GWS Giants vs. Western Bulldogs	GIANTS Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Port Adelaide vs. Sydney Swans	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Richmond vs. Carlton	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
St Kilda vs. Essendon	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
West Coast Eagles vs. Geelong	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 15
Friday, Jun 24	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Carlton vs. Fremantle	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Collingwood vs. GWS Giants	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. Richmond	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
North Melbourne vs. Adelaide Crows	Blundstone Arena (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Port Adelaide vs. Gold Coast Suns	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Sydney Swans vs. St Kilda	SCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
West Coast Eagles vs. Essendon	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. Hawthorn	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 16
Friday, Jul 1	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Adelaide Crows vs. Melbourne	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Brisbane Lions vs. Western Bulldogs	The Gabba (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Carlton vs. St Kilda	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Essendon vs. Sydney Swans	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Fremantle vs. Port Adelaide	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. North Melbourne	GMHBA Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Gold Coast Suns vs. Collingwood	Metricon Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
GWS Giants vs. Hawthorn	GIANTS Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Richmond vs. West Coast Eagles	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 17
Friday, Jul 8	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Brisbane Lions vs. Essendon	The Gabba (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Collingwood vs. North Melbourne	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. Melbourne	GMHBA Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Gold Coast Suns vs. Richmond	Metricon Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Hawthorn vs. Adelaide Crows	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Port Adelaide vs. GWS Giants	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
St Kilda vs. Fremantle	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Sydney Swans vs. Western Bulldogs	SCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
West Coast Eagles vs. Carlton	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 18
Friday, Jul 15	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Adelaide Crows vs. Collingwood	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Carlton vs. Geelong	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Essendon vs. Gold Coast Suns	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Fremantle vs. Sydney Swans	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
GWS Giants vs. Brisbane Lions	Manuka Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Hawthorn vs. West Coast Eagles	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide	TIO Traeger Park (TBC)	TBC	TBC
North Melbourne vs. Richmond	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. St Kilda	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 19
Friday, Jul 22	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Brisbane Lions vs. Gold Coast Suns	The Gabba (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Carlton vs. GWS Giants	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Collingwood vs. Essendon	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
North Melbourne vs. Hawthorn	Blundstone Arena (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Port Adelaide vs. Geelong	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Richmond vs. Fremantle	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Sydney Swans vs. Adelaide Crows	SCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
West Coast Eagles vs. St Kilda	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 20
Friday, Jul 29	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Adelaide Crows vs. Carlton	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Collingwood vs. Port Adelaide	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Essendon vs. North Melbourne	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Fremantle vs. Melbourne	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. Western Bulldogs	GMHBA Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Gold Coast Suns vs. West Coast Eagles	Metricon Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Richmond vs. Brisbane Lions	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
St Kilda vs. Hawthorn	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Sydney Swans vs. GWS Giants	SCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 21
Friday, Aug 5	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Brisbane Lions vs. Carlton	The Gabba (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. St Kilda	GMHBA Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
GWS Giants vs. Essendon	GIANTS Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Hawthorn vs. Gold Coast Suns	University of Tasmania Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Melbourne vs. Collingwood	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
North Melbourne vs. Sydney Swans	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Port Adelaide vs. Richmond	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
West Coast Eagles vs. Adelaide Crows	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. Fremantle	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 22
Friday, Aug 12	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Adelaide Crows vs. North Melbourne	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Essendon vs. Port Adelaide	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Fremantle vs. West Coast Eagles	Optus Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Gold Coast Suns vs. Geelong	Metricon Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Melbourne vs. Carlton	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Richmond vs. Hawthorn	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
St Kilda vs. Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Sydney Swans vs. Collingwood	SCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. GWS Giants	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Round 23
Friday, Aug 19	Stadium (Network)	EST	Local
Brisbane Lions vs. Melbourne	The Gabba (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Carlton vs. Collingwood	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Essendon vs. Richmond	MCG (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Geelong vs. West Coast Eagles	GMHBA Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
GWS Giants vs. Fremantle	Manuka Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Hawthorn vs. Western Bulldogs	University of Tasmania Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
North Melbourne vs. Gold Coast Suns	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC
Port Adelaide vs. Adelaide Crows	Adelaide Oval (TBC)	TBC	TBC
St Kilda vs. Sydney Swans	Marvel Stadium (TBC)	TBC	TBC