John Noble opens up on grand final axing, trade from Collingwood to Gold Coast

John Noble has broken his silence over his infamous axing from the Pies side on their path to the 2023 flag, and the moment he knew he would request a trade.

John Noble walked out of the secret meeting with Gold Coast’s Damien Hardwick and Wayne Campbell having made up his mind that it was time to leave Collingwood.

The Suns had met Noble roughly two thirds of the way into the 2024 season at manager Winston Rous’ home to pitch a deal. It was a compelling offer – a four-year contract, a key role playing half back and a move home to be closer to his wider family.

And yet if that meeting was the deal-breaker, ask Noble when the seeds were planted and it is obvious the events of August 2023 were front of mind. Quite simply, being dropped for a premiership was a traumatic event that Noble was never able to overcome.

Especially when he had played 83 consecutive games leading into a finals series where he would have been just as effective as replacement Oleg Markov.

An emotional John Noble with Nick Daicos after the 2023 grand final. Picture: Michael Klein

Ask the new Gold Coast defender when he decided to move and he immediately goes back to the events of that finals series.

“Look, ‘23 was pretty hard. That cut me pretty deep and a few people understood how hard it was, but also a few who didn’t understand how deep the cut was,” he said.

“You always want to be playing in the AFL grand final and if it doesn’t go your way, you are never going to agree with it. So it’s something I am going to have to live with.

“It’s tough; some days you don’t think too much about it and some days it pops into your head and, to be honest, I don’t think it will ever go (away).

“I am a very loyal guy so even making the move here was hard. But I knew it was the right one. To not have that success under my name is hard.”

“Moving into 2024, I was still committed 100 per cent and some things didn’t fall my way (at selection) at the start of the year, so the catalyst was speaking to ‘Dimma’ (Hardwick) in person about my situation and how I could help Gold Coast. That was the real ‘click’ where I went home and spoke to (partner) Annabel in depth and said I think it’s time to pull the trigger’.”

New Gold Coast Suns recruit John Noble. Picture: Somha Sleeth/Gold Coast Suns

John Noble taking part in pre-season training on the Gold Coast. Picture: Somha Sleeth/Gold Coast Suns

Noble’s father David told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast last year that his son could barely speak when he called to tell him he had been dropped for the Magpies’ qualifying final against Melbourne.

Speaking publicly for the first time about that day, John admits he didn’t have the words to explain the decision to his dad.

“It’s a tough one to talk about. It was interesting … it was sort of out of the blue,” he tells the Herald Sun of that Monday following the pre-finals bye.

“I trained in the afternoon and then got pulled up and they just said, ‘We are going without you’. I didn’t really know what to say to be honest. It was ‘Fly’ (Craig McRae) and ‘Bolts’ (football boss Brendon Bolton). It was quite emotional. Quite raw. I rang my dad and I was just biting my tongue and I was about to cry. I had just left the club and I had no idea what to do or say.

“For the whole walk back to my car walking along the oval I was biting my tongue, about to bawl my eyes out and I couldn’t put into words what had happened.

“As a kid you dream of playing AFL football, but to play finals and play in a premiership is the ultimate thing you work your whole life towards and to have that taken away for what you thought was not much of a reason or not something you thought would happen considering those games in a row or your form, it was really hard to take.”

He has no particular beef with the execution from McRae and Bolton.

Instead, it is the reality that he was overlooked for McRae favourite Markov despite little appreciable drop-off in form or warning that his spot was in the gun.

At only 27, Noble has enough time at an emerging Gold Coast side to win that elusive premiership at a club that is yet to taste finals let alone the ultimate glory.

If the pain is still raw from that finals series there is so much to like for him about his move north.

His parents, grandfather and siblings Jess and Mark are all on the Gold Coast and he will join a stacked backline under Hardwick where he will compete for a spot alongside flankers Daniel Rioli, Connor Budarick, Wil Powell and Bodie Uwland.

Last week the Callaway ambassador spent Thursday and Friday promoting the golf brand’s new line of drivers and clubs as the once-a-week golfer prepares to join the Royal Pines golf club only minutes from People First Stadium.

He and partner Annabel have moved into their new house in between his parents’ home base further inland and the Gold Coast’s famed beaches.

“Basically the whole family unit is up here and when dad was coaching North Melbourne he was coming back and forward and my mum and sister stayed up here,” Noble said.

John and David Noble when they were at Collingwood and North Melbourne respectively. Picture: Michael Klein

“Being close to family again is so good and we are such a tight unit. It’s nice to be able to drive around the corner and catch up with them for coffee or dinner. It’s awesome.”

Hardwick has been everything Noble hoped he might be – demanding of greatness of “really positive and optimistic” every day he walks in the door.

“Dimma has been unbelievable. Every time you walk in the door he’s instilling our projection for 2025 and where the club wants to go. Our new brand is ‘Fearless’ and it is a time in our history as a club where we want to be playing finals and we want to be competing for a premiership. He has been vulnerable in front of us and it’s been amazing to see him go about his business and bring us along on the journey.”

Suns midfielder star Rowell met Geelong in the off-season as his contract decision approaches, with Noble aware those kinds of discussions are now par for the course.

He has no concerns about Rowell’s future: “It’s part of the territory. People will make decisions they think is best for them. You do sometimes feel a little conflicted because you are still playing for a club at that stage.

John Noble collects the ball in late 2024. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“There will be headlines with Rowelly but I have never seen a more committed player at this club, to be honest. His connections and the relationships he has got with players and the staff at this club is amazing to see. As far as we are concerned, he’s committed to us.”

New teammate Rioli has missed time across the summer, including with a recent PCL sprain, but keep an eye out for Budarick as a SuperCoach option after a full summer under his belt after two knee reconstructions dulled a bright start to his season.

“Budders has been the standout for me. I haven’t seen a heap of (his) footy, with his knee injuries and whatnot, but he’s had a super pre-season. I have been super impressed. He’s so clean with the ball. He makes great decisions. He’s got some tools in his kitbag that he can pull out to manipulate a game or get away from opponents. So he’s been exciting to work with and I can’t wait to play alongside Dan (Rioli). We have always had a small connection through playing against each other over the years so it will be awesome to finally play alongside each other again.”

Originally published as John Noble opens up on grand final axing, trade from Collingwood to Gold Coast