The Uwland name might be the next notable AFL family of the future, with the Queensland-bred unit standing out in a non-football state.
Burleigh product Bodhi Uwland, one of Gold Coast's emerging stars under Damien Hardwick, came through the Suns Academy ranks after opting to go down the football path instead of the traditional rugby avenues.
The medium-sized defender enjoyed a breakout year under Hardwick in the former Richmond coach's first season at Carrara, with Uwland finishing second in Gold Coast's best and fairest count.
His second season with the club saw him play a part in the club's VFL premiership as a 20-year-old, with his first full campaign last year earning him a Rising Star nomination and saw him cement his place in Hardwick's rearguard through 21 games.
Bodhi - who was a foundation member with the Suns - could be joined by younger brother Zeke at the club by the year's end, with the exciting draft prospect in the conversation as a potential top five selection.
The Uwlands are also home to Zeke's twin Mali and brother Jarrah, with all four growing up with a love for footy in the Sunshine State.
"It's pretty cool. There's four of us and we're all within three-and-a-half years, so it gets very competitive in the backyard," Bodhi told Zero Hanger.
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"We all love each other very much, we're very grateful for the upbringing we've had. It's obviously been a bit different being up in Queensland, but I think it's starting to shift.
"There's a bit more of an AFL focus, and we've got to continue to capitalise on the momentum and build on that, and hopefully in the future it can be a dominant AFL state."
Zeke, a flashy flanker, was the sole under-age talent to be named in the U18 All-Australian team, enjoying a stellar season while Bodhi too found a new vein of form in the AFL.
The Suns Academy wunderkind will be a key ingredient for the Allies at this year's National Championships, while he could add to his five VFL games for Gold Coast from last year.
Uwland trained with the Suns and his older brother over the pre-season ahead of a highly-anticipated draft campaign, with Bodhi excited to see his sibling establish himself as a name for the future.
"He trained with us in the pre-season, that was a great opportunity for him," Bodhi said of his younger brother.
"Took him under my wing a little bit to sort of show him what he has to do and who to learn off.
"He is obviously a good player in his own right and has players he can model his game off and learn from in the club. I tried to help him do that and hopefully set him up for a good year and into the future."
Like Zeke, Bodhi was able to hone his craft as a junior thanks to the experience the Suns afford their Academy prospects via the VFL.
Bodhi played six games for the Suns' reserves in 2021 prior to joining the club's list as a rookie later that year, with his current teammates offering the needed mentorship to help shape his game for the future at the time.
"I got the opportunity to play VFL for my 18th year. I looked up to the guys I was playing with, guys I'm playing with today like Caleb Graham and Sean Lemmens," he said.
"Since being here, players like Wil Powell and others I've looked up to and modelled my game off... I'm grateful to have that opportunity and I think it's set me up to solidate my career."
The Suns Academy has thrived in recent seasons, with five first-round selections coming through the national intake over the past two years alone.
Palm Beach Currumbin trio Jed Walter, Ethan Read and Will Graham were selected alongside Broadbeach's Jake Rogers on the opening night of the 2023 count, with reigning Lark Medal winner Leonardo Lombard joining them a year later as ninth overall selection.
The impressive draft haul for the Suns is likely to continue in 2025, with Zeke Uwland, Beau Addinsall, Dylan Patterson and Kalani White also impressing in the lead-up to their draft seasons, however the latter is tied to Melbourne as a father-son prospect.
"Full credit to the Academy to be able to produce such talent. It's pretty special out here," Bodhi Uwland said.
"We've got many young boys that have grown up playing together. The Palmy boys and Jake Rogers, we had all four of them out there (against Melbourne), and that's pretty cool that they all get to go on the field together.
"It's a special thing that we've got up here that not many clubs get to have and I think we're making the most of it."
