What will 2023 look like for the Gold Coast Suns?
Having yet to play finals, heading into their 13th season, perhaps they will finally do so in 2023.
After all, equalling your highest ladder position and win tally should only see improvement from then on.
With coach Stuart Dew receiving a two-year contract extension, the faith in him is there, so the club will be hoping they're rewarded for said faith.
So with the Suns looking to make finals for the first time, we cast our own eye across them and ask five burning questions ahead of their 2023 campaign.
We have to get the obvious question out of the way.
As aforementioned, the Suns have never played finals, but a good season (for their own standard) probably sees them in place to finally do so.
Every season Gold Coast have shown flashes of brilliance but lack the consistency to break into finals contention.
That and a poor record away from home keeps them away from the better teams. Last year saw them amass a 3-8 win-loss record for away games.
Continued improvement to their inside midfield will help them immensely, having ranked fourth for contested possessions and clearances last year.
Their outside game, however, lacked severely. They couldn't hurt opponents in this area, ranking last for uncontested positions and effective disposals, while having the third most amount of clangers. Fixing this will go a long way.
The push for finals will reach a hurdle early on in the season, playing three finalists in the first five rounds, including the two grand finalists in Rounds 1 and 2.
When Ben King went down with an ACL injury before last season, many questioned the scoring power of the Suns.
They still functioned efficiently in his absence however, with recruits Mabior Chol and Levi Casboult combining for 79 goals, with Chol kicking 44.
King in 2021 kicked 44 himself, and with his return incoming, questions on where all three fit in the team arise.
With Chol breaking out and the return of King, Casboult seems the most likely to fall to the wayside.
However, his recruitment as a depth option paid off last season with 35 goals.
Could the former Blue make a return to defence? A position he arguably played his best footy at during his time at Carlton.
We all know his capability in the air, crashing into packs and marking, so doing so in defence adds another big body down back.
Rankine is a notable departure, there's no denying it, the flashy small forward was sure to be a pillar of the team Stuart Dew is currently building.
But he's gone, and that leaves a hole. But how significant is it and does it impact the team severely?
While Rankine was receiving the hype, given he's a human highlight reel, one small forward flew under the radar by some.
That player was Ben Ainsworth.
Many look at the fancy stuff when determining a good small forward but Ainsworth excelled in the basics.
Forward
Disposals
Marks
Tackles
He was one of four players to average one goal and one goal assist per game in 2022, the other three were his departed teammate Rankine, Tom Papley and Tom Hawkins.
For goal assists, the 25-year-old ranked second in the competition, behind only Christian Petracca.
He also kicked 25 goals and could now rank as one of the premier small forwards in the league.
Malcolm Rosas Jr is expected to step up with Rankine now gone, and could possibly be his direct replacement, and with Joel Jeffrey, Jack Lukosius and Nick Holman there, the forward line is looking good.
The off-season saw eight players come across to Carrara, with Jed Anderson, Thomas Berry, Connor Blakely, Bailey Humphrey, Lloyd Johnston, Ben Long, Brodie McLaughlin and Jake Stein linking up with the Suns.
Of these players, a handful could come straight into the side.
Former Giant Stein serves as a tall down back with some good mobility, and with Rory Thompson retired, Stein could see a place in defence.
Heading over from across town, Berry should get thrown into the midfield and top draftee Bailey Humphrey probably has the most hype of the recruits. He should see himself in the team through the year.
The most likely to get a game instantly is Ben Long. The former Saint is a tough player who adds an edge to a team lacking it.
Playing across half-back, he'll prove useful.
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Gold Coast are a club that has several players capable of breaking out in 2023.
Does Matt Rowell finally cement himself with the elite? Something expected before he was drafted.
People downplay Rowell because he hasn't dominated games as well as he did in his first three before injury. Last season he played a more defensive midfield role, allowing the likes of Touk Miller to rise and Noah Anderson to breakout.
If the 21-year-old no longer has to take the responsibility of protecting the area behind Jarrod Witts, he has all the tools to be another Miller.
As aforementioned, Rankine is gone, so Malcolm Rosas has all the potential to break out in his absence. While he doesn't win the ball as much as Rankine did, if he can match the score output, he's set.
Elijah Hollands has so much potential but an unlucky start to his career, having suffered an ACL injury in his draft year and the challenges of COVID, limited him. Last season he looked great on the wing, playing the final five games of the year, and should star sooner rather than later.
Dominating in the VFL was Sam Flanders, who after three seasons looks locked in the team after a strong pre-season. Some others who may break out are Joel Jeffrey and Alex Davies.