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Gold Coast Suns: Best 22 of all time

Roar Rookie
5th May, 2020
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Roar Rookie
5th May, 2020
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The Gold Coast Suns have seen a number of talented players come and go, and this article will explore their best 22 since inception.

The positions the players have been allocated are loose, meaning that they may have been known to play on a different part of the field. This is based solely on the players’ time at the Suns, not taking into account anywhere else they may have played.

Back line

Sam Day
Day has been a solid player for the Suns over his ten years at the club and is a deserving member of this side, sticking by the club while many others have chosen to leave. He may be seen as interesting inclusion in the backline as he now spends most of his time forward, but he has played more than a few games down back.

Rory Thompson
Thompson is generally underrated around the competition, but at his best he is capable of shutting down any key forward in the competition, including Sydney’s Lance Franklin and Geelong’s Tom Hawkins. Even though Thompson has been plagued by injury throughout his career, he still easily makes this side as the best lockdown key defender alongside Steven May.

Jarrod Harbrow
Harbrow is an easy inclusion in this side as the club’s games record holder. He also won the team’s best and fairest award in 2018 and was runner-up for the award in 2016. Justifying Harbrow’s selection only requires you to watch any Suns game – when the ball spills down back Harbrow will be there with fierce intensity to mop it up.

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Halfback line

Trent McKenzie
Otherwise known as the Cannon, McKenzie was renowned for his booming left boot that would see him be able to kick 70-metre bombs with pinpoint accuracy. McKenzie did struggle in his later years at the club, but that does not overshadow his earlier years when he was a reliable servant.

Steven May
Another easy inclusion, May is clearly the best defender in the Suns’ short history, playing 123 games for the team. May was outstanding as a lockdown key defender, but he also excelled as an intercept defender, which he was allowed to do when the rest of the back line was sound, especially when he had Thompson by his side. His aggression really set the tone for the Suns in matches he was captaining.

Adam Saad
Saad was an excitement machine for the Suns, impressing immediately with his trademark bounces and penetrating rebounds. His willingness to always take the game on made you sit on the edge of your seat – or stand up out of it for that matter – which can’t be said for too many players in this age.

Adam Saad Gold Coast Suns AFL

Adam Saad (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Centre

Harley Bennell
Bennell played his best footy at the Suns, and his best was very damaging for opposition teams. If you’re not quite sure what Bennell at his best looks like, do yourself a favour and click here to watch the highlights of Round 14 of 2014, Gold Coast versus Geelong. This was when the Suns were up and about and looking like they were going to play finals for the first time, and it’s arguably the best game Bennell has played in his entire career, with 27 disposals and six goals.

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Jared Brennan
Brennan was a versatile, highly skilled player who played a number of roles for the Suns in their early years, including on-baller, forward and even ruckman. At his best he was more than a handful for opposition teams to deal with because of his ability to adapt to any position and wreak havoc.

Michael Rischitelli
Having strong leaders was very important for the young Suns, and Michael Rischitelli was an outstanding citizen for the Gold Coast throughout his nine years of service. He was vice-captain and a role model for the young Suns. Without ever starring for the Suns, he was a consistent role player year in year out.

Half-forward line

Jack Martin
Martin had an aura about him from the first time anyone had heard about him, with some comparing him to Gary Ablett, saying he was the most talented player since. He was a handy goal sneak but also played very well in the middle, often providing stellar delivery into the forward line.

Charlie Dixon
When Dixon was fit he was destructive in the forward line, able to take strong overhead marks and convert most of the time. When he and Tom Lynch combined for a day out up forward they created a nightmare for any opposition defence. Once Dixon kicked his first goal of the game he often went on and kicked a bag.

Aaron Hall
Arguably one of the biggest improvers in Suns history, Hall proved he was deserving of a spot after being thrown into the midfield after years playing up forward. He almost instantly looked like a different player and was capable of short bursts breaking down opposition defences. This may have been due to a combination of him being a pure midfielder, and the coaches finally put him in a position where he could flourish. He was very handy for a quick goal out of the centre after a ball-up in the middle of the ground.

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Aaron Hall Gold Coast Suns AFL

Aaron Hall (AAP Image/Joe Castro)

Forward line

Brandon Matera
Matera was a stalwart up forward for the Suns, playing a solid role there over his 101 games for 124 goals. While Suns supporters would have been frustrated when Matera’s teammates always seemed to pick him out in the forward line where he was easily the smallest player there, he found ways to crumb a ball out of a pack and snap a quick goal. His set shots were pretty accurate too.

Tom Lynch
With 254 goals in 131 matches, Lynch was pretty handy for the Suns and would dominate opposition teams as a total full-forward package. Lynch was only in the early days of his career at Gold Coast but still managed to greatly impress, with All Australian honours in 2016. HE was a two-time club champion, four-time leading goal kicker and co-captain of the Suns for two years.

Alex Sexton
Sexton is another almighty improver who has showcased his raw goal kicking ability in the past two seasons, being the club’s leading goal kicker in both years. His electric pace combined with his trademark snap around the body is why he is in this side. He is one of very few Suns who actually has the ability to seek goals out. An out and out goal sneak.

Alex Sexton

Alex Sexton (AAP Image/Darren England)

Followers

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The followers here are seriously strong as both players and leaders.

Jarrod Witts
Promoted to co-captain prior to the 2019 season, Jarrod Witts, alongside David Swallow, set the tone for the playing group last year. Witts is clearly the best ruckman the club has seen, and his ability to stay fit and stay on the field is not a trait many of his teammates can share. Witts had 1008 hit-outs last year, second only to Brodie Grundy’s 1022, who played two more games than Witts. Witts is able to hold his own against any other ruckman in the competition.

David Swallow
Witts’s counterpart, David Swallow, is the ultimate heart and soul player for the Suns and was rewarded for his undying loyalty prior to the 2019 season when he was named co-captain. Swallow was picked with the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft and is a proven beast in the midfield, throwing his body around, often to his own detriment, and setting a sublime example for his teammates. He was also the first player to win the club champion honours after star teammate Gary Ablett. He has played in nearly all of the Suns best wins.

Gary Ablett
One Brownlow Medal. Four-time Gold Coast club champion. Four-time All Australian, including the captaincy in 2011. Two-time Gold Coast leading goal kicker. Inaugural captain. Need I say more?

Suns player Gary Ablett takes on Kangaroos

(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Interchange

Dion Prestia
Prestia had an illustrious career at the Suns as a damaging midfielder. Nicknamed the human meatball, Prestia was an outstanding member of the Suns’ already strong midfield at the time.

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Touk Miller
If the term ‘role player’ had a definition, it would be Touk Miller. His effort is unquestionable week in and week out and follows in the footsteps of his current skipper Swallow. He is a very well-respected player and is currently recognised as the club’s vice-captain.

Jaeger O’Meara
O’Meara was selected as pick No. 1 in the 2011 mini-draft and once he debuted in 2013 he impressed straight away, playing all of the Suns’ home-and-away matches that year and named as the AFL rising star.

Kade Kolodjashnij
Kolodjashnij was a name that Kade’s teammates and coaches had to learn as well as commentators because they would be seeing a lot of him. He had a very accurate left boot that was damaging coming out of the halfback line. Kolodjashnij’s successes were highlighted when he was the runner-up in the Suns’ 2015 club champion award.

Emergency

Sean Lemmens
Lemmens is a heart-and-soul player for the Suns, giving his absolute all every time he takes the field, often lifting his teammates with his intensity and attack on the ball.

Unlucky to miss

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Lachie Weller
He’s still playing, though, so he could end up in a Suns best 22 in the future.

Trending for future selection

Jack Bowes, Darcy Macpherson and Charlie Ballard.

Gold Coast Suns best 22 of all time

B: Day, Thompson, Harbrow
HB: McKenzie, May, Saad
C: Bennell, Brennan, Rischitelli
HF: Martin, Dixon, Hall
F: Matera, Lynch, Sexton
Foll: Witts, Swallow (captain), Ablett
Int: Prestia, Miller, O’Meara, Kolodjashnij
Emg: Lemmens

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