Pre-season 2022.

Sep 30, 2010
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Geez Josh Rachelle looks good. Hope we didn’t make a boo-boo taking Andrew instead. Time will tell.

Yeah. However Rachele will play for the SUNS one day. Give it time
 

KaySwizzle

Club Legend
Aug 19, 2020
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Have to disagree on Anderson not being ready, one of the top 3 runners in the club, is already built like a man and played almost exclusively midfield this season without any real fadeout.
He is as ready as one can be, he has a mature game and can play in or out.

He faded out a little in the middle of the year after starting the season in red-hot form. He came back into it in the back-end though (after some time off with a hand injury), so I’m hopeful for a more consistent year. Can’t be critical of a 2nd year player though. He’s a gun. If he can hit the scoreboard like he did in his draft year then he will be our dynamic mid and one of our most important players. He already finds plenty of the footy.

However, my expectations on him and players like Rowell are lower than my expectation on someone like Weller, Bowes or Ainsworth—players in that age-bracket should be doing the heavy lifting (and helping Miller!) to allow the younger players to do their role.

Relying on young talent alone makes us inconsistent, which is no knock on them. They shouldn’t have to carry the team in their third year or fourth, no matter how talented they are. If Anderson, Rowell, Rankine, Sharp etc. step up with those older players then we become a good team. On their own I don’t think they change our fortunes much, unfortunately.
 

RowellAnderson12

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 4, 2019
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He faded out a little in the middle of the year after starting the season in red-hot form. He came back into it in the back-end though (after some time off with a hand injury), so I’m hopeful for a more consistent year. Can’t be critical of a 2nd year player though. He’s a gun. If he can hit the scoreboard like he did in his draft year then he will be our dynamic mid and one of our most important players. He already finds plenty of the footy.

However, my expectations on him and players like Rowell are lower than my expectation on someone like Weller, Bowes or Ainsworth—players in that age-bracket should be doing the heavy lifting (and helping Miller!) to allow the younger players to do their role.

Relying on young talent alone makes us inconsistent, which is no knock on them. They shouldn’t have to carry the team in their third year or fourth, no matter how talented they are. If Anderson, Rowell, Rankine, Sharp etc. step up with those older players then we become a good team. On their own I don’t think they change our fortunes much, unfortunately.
Young blokes don't have to carry sides but when they are that good sometimes they unfortunately have to;

eg;
Carlton - Cerra, Mckay, Walsh
Fremantle - Brayshaw, Darcy, Serong

Nothing wrong with young blokes carrying us next year, especially Rowell, Anderson, King, Lukosius, Rankine, Hollands, to neutral fans they will get us TV Ratings and more wins 100%
 

KaySwizzle

Club Legend
Aug 19, 2020
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Young blokes don't have to carry sides but when they are that good sometimes they unfortunately have to;

eg;
Carlton - Cerra, Mckay, Walsh
Fremantle - Brayshaw, Darcy, Serong

Nothing wrong with young blokes carrying us next year, especially Rowell, Anderson, King, Lukosius, Rankine, Hollands, to neutral fans they will get us TV Ratings and more wins 100%

Of course there is nothing wrong with it. Those players are all amazing and potential (if not already) A graders. All I’m saying is I want some of our 23-25 year olds to lift their game—that’s when we will be competitive. If the young players still “carry” our team but we have a more even spread of contributors, then it is fine. They become the icing on top, rather than the cake.

Also, the two teams you listed are hardly glowing examples of relying on young talent to win games consistently, which further illustrates how young players aren’t enough—even when they win club champions or Coleman medals.
 
Dec 3, 2013
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I'm looking forward to seeing if Charlie Ballard transitions from good young key back to CHB in his prime, I think he's in for a monster year. Rowelly I expect to get back to his super consistent self. King, what does his role look like now with a permanent CHF to accompany him. Can Miller deliver back to back AA years and finally can Lukosius get his hands on the ball forward of center.
 

eighties

Team Captain
Jul 24, 2012
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Most excited to see Bowes through the midfield. Would love to see him get high 20s - low 30s possessions running through there. I think it could bring some real x-factor to our midfield as his decision making / creativity in close, short passing, and baulking is awesome...he even has a bit of goal sense... its a waste seeing him kick sideways in the backline. Cant find his 2021 highlights but his 2020 highlights are on there and they get me excited haha.

Also looking forward to see if Elijah Hollands can play.
 
I would hope Day by Day Episode 2 is coming out today. Common media people, give us something. Starving here.
Correct hah

 
Sep 25, 2012
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Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew believes the club has the means to cover Suns’ defect Hugh Greenwood, even if it changes the dynamic of the midfield group.
Speaking for the first time since Greenwood’s shock move to North Melbourne, Dew said the Suns have depth in their midfield group and he was willing to experiment with its make-up to find the right balance.

Alex Davies boasts a similar stature to Greenwood at 191cm but is still raw after just a year in the system, leaving Dew to mull over a large group of candidates.

“We have obviously got Alex Davies who played late in the season,” Dew said.


Brayden Fiorini came back (in Round 14) and played really well when Hugh was injured.

“We got some more game time into Matt Rowell and Noah (Anderson) went up a notch.

“We feel we have good depth there and we also picked up Charlie Constable as a mature body which is important for us.”

Jack Bowes has also been training with the midfield group after spending the bulk of 2021 playing in the backline, while Elijah Hollands, who has had a slow build up after coming into the Suns system on the back of a knee injury, is also vying for a spot across midfield and forward.

The bulk of the playing group had the chance to show their wares in the club’s final training session of 2021 on Wednesday, with the squad to return on January 10.

The group took part in some match simulation, playing three 10 minute stints in 30C heat at the club’s Carrara base.

The best forwards and defenders available played on opposing sides, while the best midfielders were split between the two.

The five-on-five battle at one end of the ground had Ben King, Jack Lukosius, Darcy Macpherson, Izak Rankine and Nick Holman playing against Caleb Graham, Charlie Ballard, Sean Lemmens, Jy Farrar and Lachie Weller.

Ex-Collingwood player Nathan Freeman looked impressive as he vies for a spot on Gold Coast’s list.

A host of players didn’t take part including Alex Sexton, who is coming off groin surgery, Oleg Markov (quad), Wil Powell (concussion), Brandon Ellis (calf), Sam Collins (foot), Sam Day (wrist), Connor Budarick, David Swallow, Chris Burgess, Rory Thompson, Jarrod Witts, Mac Andrew, Mabiol Chol, Charlie Constable, Matt Conroy, Rhys Nicholls.

None of the injuries are considered serious and all are expected to resume training when the group returns next year.

The match simulation also provided the first opportunity for Jack Lukosius, who has made the move to the forward line, to link up with Ben King in front of goals in what looks to be a promising pairing.

 

RowellAnderson12

Norm Smith Medallist
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Just hearing things like Bowes on-ball, Lukosius partnering King in the forward line, and Davies stepping us makes me excited.

I really hope they are not things we hear about all summer only to be 6 goals down at half-time in Round 1 with Bowes and Lukosius moved back never to return.

Seem like Joel Jeffery has moved back in that Day to Day video.

Jeffery Farrar both can take Bowes role, Weller is the obvious one to make way out of that midfield but bit smaller. I mean Caleb Daniel plays the role Bowes did so why not Weller
 

Jirik13

Norm Smith Medallist
Jan 22, 2018
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Correct hah

Is that coach Miller running with boys, next to King 6:34 - 6:37? Looking good. Could he be another depth? :p
 
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Jirik13

Norm Smith Medallist
Jan 22, 2018
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Thats who I thought it was originally, but thought he looked too young lol

Yeah, does Bella qualify for Cat B?
Casboult looks 5 years younger with haircut :) Moyle was towering over him. Just wondering if Moyle grew a bit. He does have a decent body already. Pretty excited about him.

Yes, my understanding is that all Suns academy kids who nominated for the draft and were not selected are eligible for cat B.
 
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Mar 18, 2011
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Everett
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Moyle is a bit of a forgotten player on our list. At least I forget about him. But he has all the traits required to be a ruck at league level. His arms are just so long. Hope we hang onto him for as long as possible.

Casboult isn't a ruck whatsoever. You'd prefer Burgess in there, but he at least proves to be a big body for Moyle to wrestle around.
 
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