Gold Coast defender Wil Powell has detailed the heartbreaking moment he suffered a dislocated and fractured ankle in June this year.

The injury, sustained in the Suns' 43-point win over Adelaide in Round 14, brought an abrupt end to Powell's fifth season with the Queensland club in a shattering fashion.

The 23-year-old was left in agonising pain and was required to be taken off the field on a medi-cab, with a five-minute delay to the match ensuing.

Powell was expected to miss the first half of next season, but a promising rehabilitation process has the Western Australian in the frame for an early return next year.

Speaking to 7 News, Powell revealed he thought he wasn't "coming back" from the setback, speaking on the distressing moment he suffered the ankle injury.

"I thought I was done for. I was like, ‘I'm not coming back from this'," Powell said.

"I saw my ankle facing the wrong way. I heard the little pop that it made when it dislocated.

"I was screaming on the ground, all sorts of things coming out of my mouth."

Powell's setback added to a tough year of injuries for the Suns, who also lost Connor Budarick and Lachie Weller to ACL injuries mid-season, while Charlie Ballard and Joel Jeffrey also saw their campaigns conclude early due to knee injuries.

Suns coach Stuart Dew revealed this month that Powell, Ballard and Jeffrey will all be in the mix for the Suns' season opener against Sydney next March, while it remains a "little bit early to assess" the likely return dates for Budarick and Weller.

Gold Coast will again have their sights on a maiden AFL finals berth in 2023, with Dew looking to improve on the club's 12th-place finish from this year.

They'll open their campaign against the Swans in Round 1 before clashes with the Bombers, Cats and Saints in the opening month of the season.