AFLW SUNS AFLW Season 2025

[The Tamer]

Need to take a punt on some state league mature players like we did with bohana
The team is way too young and inexperienced probably will non competitive for 3/5 years as there’s not enough games in the season to get the experience into the younger ones quick enough

I think the average age of the team could get a lot younger yet. A few of the more experienced players not locked in yet, I reckon they will trade Bella and there may be others looking at options elsewhere. The younger players do have better skills, including some that they just delisted. Hope they can impact quickly, but perhaps some team culture issues to deal with. As has been seen, Shaw is not the greatest communicator. Don’t know what they offered Sunny Lappin to choose GC over her other options, but I would suggest it was a lot. Hope there is enough left to keep/get some experience.

 

[Moo79]

I thought Wallis deserved more games this year.
Maurer always seemed to slow to me.
Smith had minimal impact.
Fullerton and Oliver would frustrate me by being beaten easily.
Gregory could get the ball but skills were beyond shocking.

Wallis was terrible. She's a div 2 womans player at best. The whole team is ridiculously slow and they look unfit. Charlie Rowbottom is probably the slowest mid I have ever seen, and looks like she's in pain eveytime she moves. I don't understand the hype surrounding her. The only one that put in effort and deserves to be there is Lucy Single.

 

[robo_1]

Not sure how reliable this is but

 

[The Tamer]

Not sure how reliable this is but

View attachment 2478364

I don’t know about the Erin Phillips bit but I had heard the first one re other clubs looking for the number one pick. I understand GC are keen if they can get two later round one picks in place of number one. Makes sense given they want to get as many academy picks as possible and can match other bids anyway.

 

[Jirik13]

Carlton targets Lauren Bella. Yes, please.

 

[Mini GF]

Carlton targets Lauren Bella. Yes, please.

Totally I think she’s terrible actually.
She looks fit but is as slow as a wet week around the ground and can’t get possessions.

 

[The Tamer]

Totally I think she’s terrible actually.
She looks fit but is as slow as a wet week around the ground and can’t get possessions.

I agree, she has been ordinary this year. But so was Tara Bohanna the year before. And look how much better she is going this year in a decent team with better coaching. I wonder if it will be the same for Bella…and possibly a few others who will go elsewhere.

 

[Stroppy]

I agree, she has been ordinary this year. But so was Tara Bohanna the year before. And look how much better she is going this year in a decent team with better coaching. I wonder if it will be the same for Bella…and possibly a few others who will go elsewhere.

Bohanna was a good mark and kick from her first game. If a team can get her the ball somewhere near goal she is a very good key forward.

Bella can tap but that's about it. Not a good mark, not a good handballer, not a good kick and that is after 10 seasons in the comp. She would do Ok at a good team (and she was fine in 2023 when we played finals) but with only 16 players on the field it is hard now to carry a limited player and be a good team. And it will only get harder as the skill level rises. Those that don't get a lot better at the basics over time will be bypassed pretty quick.

 

[Stroppy]

Scoops gets it right....

Erin Phillips incoming......

Boddsy won't know what to think since she is Crow/Port royalty.

 

[Big Red Machine]

Scoops gets it right....

Erin Phillips incoming......

Boddsy won't know what to think since she is Crow/Port royalty.

Broken clocks and all that.

Okay so someone that is more tuned into Womens footy than myself will need to provide a barometer about how good a signing this actually is.

Because I know shes one of the greats as far as a player goes but does she have any runs on the board at an executive level?

On the surface this seems like a "name hire" to get people excited about the women's program again.

Very happy to eat my words if she comes in and starts recruiting like a champ but thats how this feels on day 0

 

[The Tamer]

Broken clocks and all that.

Okay so someone that is more tuned into Womens footy than myself will need to provide a barometer about how good a signing this actually is.

Because I know shes one of the greats as far as a player goes but does she have any runs on the board at an executive level?

On the surface this seems like a "name hire" to get people excited about the women's program again.

Very happy to eat my words if she comes in and starts recruiting like a champ but thats how this feels on day 0

Agree…they needed to get Jesus as the head of football to work the miracles they need with the coaching and culture.

 

[Jirik13]

Agree…they needed to get Jesus as the head of football to work the miracles they need with the coaching and culture.

Basically, half of competition is like Suns. Look at traditional clubs like Magpies and Tigers. Not much difference between them.

It's only North and Lions on another level, then Melbourne and I guess Hawks and Carlton follow. The rest is bloody average or below average.

Get in better shape priority #1 for me and yeah, work on skills.

 

[Jen2310]

 

[TheSunGod]

Nice to have the GOAT of AFLW running our football program.

 

[Mini GF]

Scoops gets it right....

Erin Phillips incoming......

Boddsy won't know what to think since she is Crow/Port royalty.

I think it’s amazing. I also think BRM comments are right too.
It’s a punt that I like though.

 

[robo_1]

I understand the hype over the big name but for head of football I’ll wait and see before I comment very under experienced compared to outgoing head of football

I think the biggest issue is list management
Now onto the 3rd coach who is cutting the list again like the previous 2 have done and bring their favourites from elsewhere

Hopefully there is some sort of plan going forward instead of the previous ways that head of football and coaches have essentially shaped the list

 

[Young_Guns]

I am optimistic that we are putting the pieces in place to take the W seriously and support this golden generation of academy players we’ve got coming through.

But yeah, hopefully this isn’t just bringing in a name and hoping they magically fix everything. At the very least she will have an understanding of the levels the program from top to bottom needs to operate at.

 

[TheGoldPersons]

 

[Big Red Machine]

I understand the hype over the big name but for head of football I’ll wait and see before I comment very under experienced compared to outgoing head of football

I think the biggest issue is list management
Now onto the 3rd coach who is cutting the list again like the previous 2 have done and bring their favourites from elsewhere

Hopefully there is some sort of plan going forward instead of the previous ways that head of football and coaches have essentially shaped the list

This is exactly where I'm at with this. I'm hoping it comes off but for the sake of our W program and how her predecessor ended her tenure, I'd feel more comfortable if someone could give me an actual answer about why this is a good hire outside of "she was a generational talent" and "she's a big name"

We just promoted Kall Burns to be the male equivalent of this role, We know his background and why he's suited to it. We didn't go out and hire GAblett - That's my sticking point on this.

 

[GC2015]

It's not every day you sign the literal GOAT of a sporting league! Oh and she also happens to be a multi time WNBA champion, an Olympic silver medallist and world championship gold medallist in basketball!

Well done to all who made this possible and best of luck to Erin in this exciting new venture. I'm sure she'll have plenty of great advice to pass on to our female players and she would have some serious contacts from both her football and basketball past that she should be able to tap into if we need to up our game in other areas.

I thought it was really great that Erin mentioned how special it was be returning to the ground that saw her win the inaugural 2017 AFLW premiership with two of her kids (see pic below). I was there that day and it's hard to believe it was nearly a decade ago when Erin put on an absolute clinic on the Carrara turf.

I'm not really sure what the rules are in regards to a mother-son pick, but apparently Erin's eldest son is pretty keen on footy (according to her) and will probably be eligible to join our academy in the next year or two. So make of that what you will.

 

[Jen2310]

Rival clubs believe Gold Coast could have as many as five of the top six or seven picks in this year's national draft tied to its Academy – and as many as 10 Academy-tied players overall – with the Suns needing to snare multiple early selections to match bids when they arrive.
Richmond, Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide, St Kilda, and the Western Bulldogs are among a host of other sides likely to vie for the top pick from Gold Coast, which is set to be one of the most intriguing storylines to play out across the Trade Period.


Gold Coast's hunt for early picks could lead to other Suns being poached by rival clubs. Essendon and Carlton are among a group of teams chasing a move for star midfielder and former best and fairest winner Claudia Whitfort, Hawthorn holds a strong interest in experienced forward Jacqui Dupuy, while the Blues are also in talks to land ruck Lauren Bella.

The big names who could be on the move in the 2025 AFLW Trade Period

Riley Beveridge takes a look at the players who could shape this year's AFLW Trade Period

www.afl.com.au

 

[Stroppy]

Given we probably need 6 or 7 picks inside the top 30 this year it was always likely that a couple of older players with value would go.

Dupay would make a lot of sense for other teams and she is kind of wasted here. Would be sad to see her go but stacking the youth is the path we are on so...you know...go down that path.

Whitfort a bit unsettled maybe? She was so good in 2023 but injuries have come thick and fast and her form has dropped right off.

 

[Switchtheplay10]

Basically, half of competition is like Suns. Look at traditional clubs like Magpies and Tigers. Not much difference between them.

It's only North and Lions on another level, then Melbourne and I guess Hawks and Carlton follow. The rest is bloody average or below average.

Get in better shape priority #1 for me and yeah, work on skills.

The biggest problem is they keep drafting the same type of players they delist. Except the new draftees are just less experienced than what they got rid of, so they have to start the development all over again.

They have drafted plenty of top end junior talent over the last few years and none of them seem to develop.

Everyone is raving about last year's academy kids and this year's crop, but watching them, apart from Harris this year and Usher and Baron coming up, I can't see any great difference in what has been delisted over the past 3 years.

If they can't get someone on the coaching staff who can develop players then these kids will never get to the next level. Hopefully Phillips can see that quickly and make the necessary changes.

 

[TheGoldPersons]

Trio of clubs granted special assistance package by AFL after lowly seasons

AFL powerhouse among trio of clubs granted special package after horror form stretch

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[ajhgcs]

Lucy Single joins the Suns grand final sprint winner list