Sam Flanders spurns rivals, inks four-year extension at Suns

An in-demand Suns midfielder has spurned rival interest to commit his future to Damien Hardwick and the Suns, announcing the signing at the Gold Coast’s awards night.

Adelaide, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 5: Sam Flanders of the Suns during the 2023 AFL Round 21 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Gold Coast SUNS at Adelaide Oval on August 5, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Damien Hardwick has scored his first victory as Gold Coast coach with sought-after midfielder Sam Flanders spurning rival interest to sign a four-year extension.

The Suns announced Flanders’ fresh deal to a standing ovation at the club’s best and fairest evening on Sunday night, putting to bed months of uncertainty around one of the most promising young midfielders in the AFL.

The 22-year-old put a decision about his future on-hold until he was able to meet with Hardwick in person and said the choice to remain on the Gold Coast was an easy one after that.

“It was obviously a massive part,” Flanders told this masthead.

“When you’ve got someone with his resume coming – obviously I was waiting for him to get back from his Europe trip.

“The first meeting with him was pretty good for me, just to hear how he sees me, how I’m going to fit in the mix in the team and it was a massive part in the re-signing.”

As recently as three months ago Flanders’ looming contract deadline was little more than a footnote in Suns list discussions but that all changed after round 15 when he broke back into the team.

Flanders played the final 10 rounds of the regular season and was arguably the Suns’ best player over that span, averaging 29 disposals and five clearances.

Sam Flanders will remain at the Suns. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

He had threatened such form during the pre-season but a knee injury cut him down just as he was finding consistency at AFL level.

Flanders conceded he felt uncertain about his future on the Gold Coast at stages this season given his inability to nail down a regular senior spot.

“Yeah, early on,” he said.

“A bloke out of contract playing in the VFL, as most blokes would there’s always that uncertainty.

“I was very fortunate in the back end of the year to get some opportunity and for me it was about proving I could actually play at the level – a little bit to myself and to my teammates.

“Early on it (the contract talk) wasn’t distracting and then probably the back end, as push came to shove, it started to get a bit more serious.”

Flanders, who on Sunday night was named the Suns’ Emerging Player award winner for 2023, said he was immediately captured by Hardwick’s confidence and vision for a successful future at the club.

The midfielder was a standout in the second half of the season. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

“I was waiting for Damien to return from Europe so a decision wasn’t made until I met him in person and I made it pretty clear with my manager early on we would go down that route,” the midfielder said.

“We just had coffee. Well, I had a coffee actually, he (Hardwick) had a beer – he was still in holiday mode, which I loved.

“A coach like that doesn’t really have to pitch much. He just voiced his vision and that was enough for me to want to be a part of.”

“For me this is the place I wanted to be. Obviously the group is very talented and I think adding Dimma into the mix is a pretty good combination.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of success in the next couple of years and that’s something I want to be a part of.”

Originally published as Sam Flanders spurns rivals, inks four-year extension at Suns