Gold Coast and Werribee have each made changes to their squads for Sunday's VFL Grand Final, with the Suns to take to the big stage without captain James Tsitas due to suspension.

The Queensland club and their AFL-listed onballer challenged verdicts of the VFL's Match Review Panel and Tribunal this week in the hope of freeing the 28-year-old, however found no success in doing so.

The upheld striking charge will see Tsitas miss Sunday's grand final at Ikon Park, with defender Charlie Constable named to lead the Suns in the season decider.

While Gold Coast will be without their skipper, the Carrara side will welcome the returns of 2023 Frosty Miller Medal winner Brodie McLaughlin and senior-listed backman Jake Stein for their encounter against Werribee.

The duo will come into Josh Drummond's side for Tsitas and teenager Nick Williams, who has been named as one of eight emergencies.

The double change means 16-year-old 2024 AFL Draft prospect Leonardo Lombard will play in the grand final, which will be just his third VFL appearance after recording a dozen disposals and six marks in the Suns' preliminary final win over Box Hill.

Gold Coast Suns Academy talent Leonardo Lombard in 2023 (Image via Gold Coast Suns, AFL Photos)

For Werribee, Michael Barlow has been forced into one change for the match after Matthew Keast sustained a back issue in last week's win over Brisbane.

His untimely setback has opened the door for Keegan Gray to come into the Bees' side in what is the only change the standalone club has made for Sunday's affair.

The grand final will be Gray's 10th in the black and gold for 2023, with his last appearance coming in week one of the VFL finals against the Hawks.

The 2023 VFL Grand Final will take place at Ikon Park at 3:10 pm (AEST).

VFL Grand Final Teams

GOLD COAST SUNS

FB:ย J. Stein (42), C. Graham (46), B. Uwland (32)
HB:ย L. Johnston (38), J. Farrar (50), J. Jeffrey (40)
C:ย J. Sharp (20), C. Constable (33), O. Faulkhead (37)
HF:ย H. Oea (47), B. McLaughlin (43), A. Sexton (6)
FF:ย M. Chol (1), S. Day (12), C. Burgess (29)
R:ย N. Moyle (49), A. Davies (5), C. Blakely (26)
INT:ย J. Eckersley (56), L. Lombard (54), C. Lake (61)*, S. Brock (45), E. Hollands (36)

EMG:ย F. Hay (62), N. Williams (57), W. Derrington (58), T. Dawson (55), J. Young (53), M. Corbett (60), C. Harrington (52), B. O'Brien (51)

WERRIBEE

FB:ย J. Clark (27), N. Cooper (18), L. Pinnuck (9)
HB:ย M. Sodomaco (3), N. Coughlan (5), S. Clohesy (35)
C:ย K. Declase (15), T. Gribble (4), B. Malual (22)
HF:ย S. Mannagh (6), H. Garoni (1), J. Henderson (8)
FF:ย N. Lever (28), S. Paea (32), N. Hayes (7)
R:ย K. Annand (36), M. Hanson (11), D. Brew (29)
INT:ย J. Porter (21), W. Lual (12), K. Gray (13), L. Rocci (30), C. Thar (45)

EMG:ย B. Henderson (2), H. Grintell (16), M. Keast (57), J. Boyd (10), C. McLeod (31), E. Ajang (39), S. Azzi (19), S. Conway (50)