Gold Coast Suns SSP signing Ben Jepson on living with Noah Anderson, making AFL dream come true

Ben Jepson has all the traits SuperCoaches look for in a player. Now he’s on the Gold Coast list, could he end up being one of the steals of 2025? CALLUM DICK charts his rise.

Great mates, teammates, housemates and now teammates once again – it’s been a wild ride for Ben Jepson and Noah Anderson.

Jepson, 23, became the feel-good story of the pre-season last week when Gold Coast vice-captain Anderson fronted the playing group during the club’s camp in Byron Bay to announce the former Coburg and Southport VFL star had earned an AFL contract for 2025 as a supplemental selection period signing.

“I saved the video on Instagram and I think mum and dad did as well, so that will be one to keep for years to come,” Jepson told this masthead of the touching moment Anderson announced his contract, which was captured on camera by the Suns’ digital team.

“It was pretty special to be honest, it was something I always wanted and to have all the boys around as well was awesome.”

Ben Jepson with Matt Rowell, Nick Daicos and Noah Anderson after Carey Grammar's 2019 APS premiership.

Longtime mates Jepson and Anderson were part of the all-conquering Carey Grammar side that lifted the APS Premiership Cup in 2019 – a team that also featured Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos and fellow Suns midfielder, Matt Rowell.

But while the trio of Anderson, Rowell and Daicos were all taken at the top of their respective drafts, Jepson was overlooked in 2019 and forced to bide his time at VFL level.

From school friends to teammates 🥹

It's incredible to see just how far Jepson has come in his journey. We are so excited to have him onboard! pic.twitter.com/sPDl5OSX0v

— Gold Coast Suns (@GoldCoastSUNS) January 30, 2025

“In my first draft year I was just playing school footy and a little bit of NAB League at the time – I was pretty skinny and raw so if the opportunity did come, I don’t think I would have been ready (for AFL),” Jepson ruled.

“But having a couple of years in the VFL at Coburg and Southport made me develop and gave me the confidence.”

Last year he moved in with Anderson after linking with Southport, for whom he starred across halfback to help the Sharks reach the VFL grand final.

“I was working, studying and playing footy as well and he (Anderson) was either going to training or getting a massage and I’m thinking, ‘gee, that’s pretty good’,” Jepson joked.

“I’d leave home early, get home late and he’s just going to training and living out his dream.

“He’s been great helping me out and just taking the stress off footy as well, not talking about it at home and just being mates.”

An impressive season in the Sharks’ black and white put him on the Suns’ radar and in November, Jepson was invited to trial for an SSP spot.

Southport Sharks VFL player Ben Jepson. Picture: Highflyer Images

His is a similar path to that of Sam Clohesy, who played 20 games last season after being snapped up by the Suns in the 2024 rookie draft via Werribee.

With Daniel Rioli and John Noble arriving during the trade period halfback is suddenly a premium position for the Suns and Jepson has instead been deployed on a wing during pre-season.

He has worked closely alongside Clohesy and veteran Lachie Weller, with the two wing positions likely to be split between those three players.

“He’s sort of done it a similar way, just 12 months earlier. He’s been good to learn off and see how he goes about it,” Jepson said of Clohesy.

“It also gives me a bit of confidence that if he can do it, then there’s no way I can’t do the same.”