Since their inception, the Gold Coast Suns have struggled to assemble a squad that can challenge for finals. While not entirely their fault - free agency certainly hasn't helped - it's becoming harder and harder to ignore the raft of first-round draft picks they have had for little return.
That's not to say they aren't on the right track. Recent seasons have seen a minor change in fortunes, with the club beginning to retain most of its top-end talent, as well as recruiting cleverly to fill gaps in experience and quality.
Players such as Brandon Ellis and Mabior Chol have been targeted with handy results, while others like Levi Casboult and Lachie Weller have played their roles perfectly while aiding their developing youngsters to find their feet at AFL level.
Still, the scrutiny on Stuart Dew and his charges to push for a spot in the finals will be fiercer than ever in 2023, given they are yet to feature in September at all throughout their short history.
Season 2022 saw improvement for the Suns, winning 10 games and showing signs of an identity. Encouragingly for them, their final percentage of 102.8 is reflective of a club that is heading in the right direction.
While they didn't play finals, they did manage to beat finalists Sydney, Fremantle and Richmond during season 2022, a clear sign that they are not to be taken lightly. All of that was managed without star forward Ben King, who returns in 2023 from a knee reconstruction and will no doubt be looking to enhance his already burgeoning reputation.
The Suns cannot afford another season without a finals push. The time for relevance has come after years of life support from the AFL and the club knows this, so too does the playing group. Led by the superb Touk Miller, this fierce group will demand respect and if it is not given, they are starting to give the impression they will simply take it.
With all of that said, they are still short in certain areas and were they afforded the opportunity to add to their stocks, here are some options we feel could help them go to the next level if they had the power to 'steal' one player from a rival.
1. Clayton Oliver
While Touk Miller is one of the competition's most respected onballers, he could desperately use a blue-chip midfield bull to help him out around the ground at stoppages. Miller is a competitive beast and has shouldered a massive workload to date, but some elite depth at stoppages is a must for the Suns.
Noah Anderson is developing into an excellent player and Matthew Rowell is beginning to find his feet, while David Swallow has been a fantastic and reliable servant to the club. Beyond Miller, however, no one is going to keep the opposition up at night just yet. Clayton Oliver is exactly what they need.
Oliver is not only a premiership player, but a star of the competition, one of, if not the best, stoppage players out there. With size, strength, clean hands and high football IQ, he would slot seamlessly into this Gold Coast midfield and make them finals contenders.
In 2022 the Suns ranked first in hit-outs per game, while Oliver ranked first in clearances per game and first in total contested possessions per game. He would be a transformative presence in the Suns' engine room and would allow the likes of Anderson and Rowell to develop under significantly less scrutiny.
He would likely be high on the Gold Coast wish list, if not number one.
