Gold Coast Suns: Sam Clohesy declares himself ready for AFL footy as he gets set to debut

Sam Clohesy ended his three-year stint in the Gold Coast Academy certain his chance was lost. Five years on, the former Weribee star is ready for the AFL and to repay the faith of the Suns.

Gold Coast debutant Sam Clohesy says he is desperate to repay the faith in the club that gave him a second chance after he walked out the door five years ago.

When his family made the difficult decision to uproot its life on the Glitter Strip and return home to Victoria, the three-year veteran of the Suns Academy thought his time in the red and gold was over.

Back in Melbourne he boarded at the prestigious Assumption College and entered the Calder Cannons system with eyes firmly on the AFL draft, but the day came and went without his name being called.

Sam Clohesy training for the Suns in pre-season. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“I just don’t think I was ready at that stage,” Clohesy recalled.

“I hadn’t matured my game enough. I still needed a bit of work.”

So off he went to Werribee, where he studied under former Suns midfielder Michael Barlow.

Two years later the pupil followed in his coach’s footsteps.

Like Barlow in 2009, Clohesy last year earned the prestigious Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the VFL’s most promising young player following a standout season in the Tigers’ run to the grand final.

Though Werribee went down to the Suns in the VFL decider, Clohesy starred with 22 disposals and seven marks – and caught the eye of Suns national recruiting manager, Kall Burns.

Burns had kept occasional tabs on Clohesy even after he left the club in 2018 and saw an opportunity to bring the dashing defender back into the fold via last November’s rookie draft.

“I could have never imagined I would be back here, but it’s everything I ever dreamt of,” Clohesy said ahead of his debut against the Giants on Sunday.

Sam Clohesy posing after his VFL Round-Fothergill medal win in 2023. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Living up here it was one of my favourite places on earth, I absolutely loved it here and at the Cooly (Coolangatta) Blues.

“Once I left … I thought this part of my life was over, so to get that call that I was coming back, I couldn’t have been happier.”

Upon his Carrara return, Clohesy was earmarked as a prototypical winger in Damien Hardwick’s system and the 21-year-old got to work proving his worth.

The long-striding, high-marking 189cm Clohesy could be Gold Coast’s equivalent to Kamdyn Mcintosh – the unheralded but ultra-consistent winger who played in two of Hardwick’s three premierships as coach of Richmond.

“I played more across halfback last year at Werribee … but Dimma has liked me on the wing so he’s kept me there and I’m all for it,” Clohesy said.

“It’s a lot of running, but I like it.”

The Suns are set to ring in the changes this weekend against the Giants, with a host of stars poised to make a return from injury alongside the trio of debutants.

Skipper Jarrod Witts has overcome a groin complaint and mid-forward Bailey Humphrey trained fully on Thursday after sitting out the Western Bulldogs clash with a shoulder injury.

Malcolm Rosas is also available for selection after serving his one-game suspension.

Gold Coast Suns player Sam Clohesy after learning he will make his AFL debut against the GWS Giants. Photo: Gold Coast Suns

Suns midfield coach Shaun Grigg took main training on Thursday in the absence of Hardwick, who flew to Melbourne to deal with a personal matter but is expected to return to the club in time to take the reins against GWS on Sunday.

Grigg said the coaching staff had no reservations about playing three debutants against the premiership favourites.

“Yeah we want to add some pieces along the way and blood some youth … it’s exciting to get these guys in and we see them as part of our future, but we’re not relying on that,” Grigg said.

“They’re getting picked because they’re ready to play AFL.”

Originally published as Gold Coast Suns: Sam Clohesy declares himself ready for AFL footy as he gets set to debut