Season 2022 shapes as a monumentally important year for the Gold Coast Suns, who have still never tasted post-season action even after 11 years of AFL assistance, as their prolonged state of mediocrity continues to ignite Tasmania relocation talks and results in the exits of young talent to rival teams.
Furthermore, out-of-contract senior coach Stuart Dew is once again in the hot seat, preparing to enter a make-or-break campaign that will either see him back at the helm again in 12 months' time or out of a job.
Over the course of the off-season, the Suns were praised for nabbing generational talent Mac Andrew at last November's draft, as well as luring free agent Mabior Chol and delisted free agents Charlie Constable and Levi Casboult to Carrara.
However, the club was lambasted for its handling of the Hugh Greenwood situation, which resulted in the hard-nosed midfielder's departure to Arden Street to play for North Melbourne. It was a questionable sequence of events to say the least, yet unsurprising, given these decisions were made by the same people who sent now-Lions midfielder Jarryd Lyons packing at the end of 2018.
The entire nation - yes, especially Tasmania - will have a close eye on the Suns in 2022 as they prepare to tee-off on their 12th campaign and fifth under the guidance of Dew.
Off-Season Moves
Ins: Mac Andrew (National Draft), Sandy Brock (Academy), Levi Casboult (Rookie Draft, Carlton), Mabior Cholย (Richmond), Charlie Constableย (Geelong), James Tsitas (Supplemental Selection Period), Bodhi Uwland (Academy).
Outs: Will Brodieย (Fremantle),ย Aiden Fyfeย (delisted),ย Hugh Greenwoodย (North Melbourne),ย Jarrod Harbrowย (retired),ย Jack Hombschย (retired),ย Jordan Murdochย (retired),ย Zac Smith (retired),ย Luke Toweyย (delisted),ย Jacob Townsend (delisted).
Strengths
Talent: Gold Coast possess an abundance of young talent, with many promising Suns yet to even have their first taste of AFL action.
The Suns have extremely high hopes for 2020 No. 7 selection Elijah Hollands, who has been hampered by an ACL injury but is looking to get his career off the ground in 2022.
Last November's first-rounder, Mac Andrew, is an exciting, yet raw, ruck-forward prospect who looks set to succeed Jarrod Witts once he hangs up the boots.
This, all without mentioning the likes of livewire forward Izak Rankine, elite-kicking utility Jack Lukosius and budding half-forward Ben Ainsworth, and it's easy to see how stacked with talent the Suns are.
Midfield: Gold Coast's midfield group, headlined by superstar Touk Miller, looks in terrific shape heading into the new season.
Slated to line up alongside Miller in the middle of the ground are the likes of Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson and Jeremy Sharp, balanced by the veteran presence of David Swallowย and Brandon Ellis as an outside runner.
Even after the departure of Greenwood, the Suns still have decent depth at the position, with the hopefully-healthy Rory Atkins and recently-acquired Constable ready and waiting.
The only question with this group is whether they can gel and build chemistry together, or if the lack of continuity once again causes issues for Dew and the Suns.
