I'd like to thank The Academy

[GC2015]

Kalini is a defender no? Would need to be pretty elite to crack the first round less alone top 10. Generally first round and especially top 10 are dominated by mids or/and key forwards.

How many key defenders go early in the last few years? Curtin, who now has become a mid going by reports.
DGB? Well, we know what happened to him. Though not a real key def.
I just think its not the best postion player to be high up there unless you are exceptional.

Ethan Read at least can play multiple roles, elite runner so he had some exceptional traits. It doesn't happen very often.

But the fact he is tall is what has kept him in the conversation, but that won't last. Performances will need to be had quick smart.

Are we sure that Kalani only plays/trains as a defender? This looks a lot like a ruck drill to me...

 

[Jen2310]

Are we sure that Kalani only plays/trains as a defender? This looks a lot like a ruck drill to me...

Hard to say what drill that is. Could just be a 1v1 def/fwd drill.
A ruck drill the ball would be coming further up, and his opposition would be the opposite side not behind him.

I believe he'll be training with the suns this month.

 

[GC2015]

Hard to say what drill that is. Could just be a 1v1 def/fwd drill.
A ruck drill the ball would be coming further up, and his opposition would be the opposite side not behind him.

I believe he'll be training with the suns this month.

To me it looks more like a ruck drill where he's wrestled with his opponent at first and then the opponent has either lost position or purposely let him go to practise tapping straight after jostling for position. I think if it was a 1 v 1 then surely Kalani would have both arms extended and trying to mark the ball with that kind of space or even attempting to punch it away with a closed fist? Extending one arm with an open palm seems like a very weird thing to do if competing in a 1 v 1 def/fwd drill but it makes complete sense to open your palm like that if it's a ruck drill and you're practising tapping.

 

[GC2015]

Interesting story of our academy attracting stars from other sports. Seems like Lyons was well on her way to becoming a professional netballer until she gave footy a go this year and now wants to become an AFLW player. She must have some serious talent if she's made our U18 academy team as a bottom ager just one year into playing. More stories of athletes from other sports like her and Lombard giving footy a go and falling in love with it would be a great endorsement going forward.

Gold Coast Suns name Titans Netball prodigy Isabella Lyons in AFLW U18 squad for 2025​

Sixteen-year-old Isabella Lyons is still learning the rules of Australian football but has already found herself on the Gold Coast Suns AFLW under-18s roster for 2025.

The Helensvale State High School teen picked up a footy for the first time at the beginning of 2024 after seeing her little sister fall in love with the sport.

In fact, she’d never even watched a game on television.

“I thought I may as well give it a try, see what it’s all about, and I loved it instantly,” Lyons said.

“I never watched an AFL game until I got into the team.”

...

“At the start of last year, I would have never said ‘oh, I’m going to play for the Suns’.

“It’s just crazy.

“I still feel like such a little baby, but playing with all these older girls is such a good accomplishment.”

Queensland squads will then be selected from those performances for the 2025 National Championships at a later date.
“It’s such a great opportunity,” she said.

“I am a little nervous but the Suns people are so lovely and I feel like I’ve just clicked in so fast … it’s fun to train with them because it’s such a high community.”

...

The cross-code teen said she was in a completely different mindset to 12 months ago, and couldn’t believe how her sporting career had completely flipped out of nowhere.

Lyons will be draft eligible in 2026 for the 2027 AFLW season.

“To think I could be drafted in two years is scary, but it’s such an amazing feeling that all my hard work is finally paying off.

“I do see this as a pathway and I’ve been training non-stop.

“I hadn’t thought about it before because all I thought about was netball, but I feel like now that this pathway is open it would be stupid not to take it.

“It’s crazy to think about how far I’ve come in less than a year.”

...

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/gold-coast-suns-name-titans-netball-prodigy-isabella-lyons-in-aflw-u18-squad-for-2025/news-story/c3b7bbe0e9e6a87131629b9970a381ed

 

[GC2015]

Caught some of the U18 academy training session this afternoon. Zeke and another player (Addinsall I think) were on the sideline doing individual drills and were running laps of the oval on their own while all the other players were on the field doing group drills. I assume this means that they're trying to improve the tanks of both ZUwland (Zoolander for a nickname?) and Addinsall in anticipation that they'll be playing in the midfield most of the year. I know it's been said that Zeke is a good runner but the second player, who I thought was Addinsall, was surprisingly ahead of Uwland while they were running laps.

The forward group appeared to be doing one-on-one drills and I didn't really recognise anyone other than a player that looked a lot like Caleb Nancarrow. So either Nanc signed on to continue playing with our academy as an overager or we have another tall forward in our U18 academy program that looks a lot like Nancarrow.

The leadership group was announced last week and it includes (L-R) Jai Murray, Max Hudson, Beau Addinsall, Matthew Hoy, Cooper Collins and Zeke Uwland:

 

[Sun Stormer]

Caught some of the U18 academy training session this afternoon. Zeke and another player (Addinsall I think) were on the sideline doing individual drills and were running laps of the oval on their own while all the other players were on the field doing group drills. I assume this means that they're trying to improve the tanks of both ZUwland (Zoolander for a nickname?) and Addinsall in anticipation that they'll be playing in the midfield most of the year. I know it's been said that Zeke is a good runner but the second player, who I thought was Addinsall, was surprisingly ahead of Uwland while they were running laps.

The forward group appeared to be doing one-on-one drills and I didn't really recognise anyone other than a player that looked a lot like Caleb Nancarrow. So either Nanc signed on to continue playing with our academy as an overager or we have another tall forward in our U18 academy program that looks a lot like Nancarrow.

The leadership group was announced last week and it includes (L-R) Jai Murray, Max Hudson, Beau Addinsall, Matthew Hoy, Cooper Collins and Zeke Uwland:

Zeke and Beau must have niggles as they also just running laps at the AFL Open Day session last week. Jai Murray is the other one to keep an eye on - in the Will Graham mould.

 

[RowellAnderson12]

 

[SUN OF A GUN]

Apparently some Academy overagers have been asked back as VFL only top ups. Have been told they will not play CTL games.

Anybody know if the final U18 squad has been announced? Would have thought the leadership group would have been part of the squad announcement.

 

[Jen2310]

Port Douglas young gun picked for Suns Academy​

Pictured: Port Douglas Crocs ruck-defender Brae Agrums. AFL Cairns finals 2024. Photo: Gyan-Reece Rocha.
Port Douglas prospect Brae Agrums has been selected for the Gold Coast Suns’ under-18 Academy squad.

Following an intense six-week pre-season training camp at the Gold Coast, 50 players were narrowed down to a final squad of 35.

The 16-year-old will relocate to the Gold Coast in January as a bottom-ager for the Suns side while developing his game with QAFL Colts (under-19) side Labrador Tigers.

Having risen through the junior ranks at Port Douglas Crocs as a dominant ruckman, Agrums made the transition to a key defender during the 2024 campaign.

Under-sized as a ruck at AFL level, Suns Academy coaches believed his best football lay as a physically imposing fullback, locking down rivals’ best key forward.

Agrums is strong in the air, agile for his size and a fierce competitor.

The 194cm gun broke into the Crocs’ senior side this year, playing nine games, with strong performances in rounds 15 and 16 against the Cairns City Lions and North Cairns Tigers. Agrums will join former Cairns Saint Cooper Glass at Labrador Tigers, who will play for the Suns’ Academy under-16 side in 2025.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

That's a filthy as mo on a 16 year old.

Jake Lloyd like.

 

[GC2015]

Some familiar/famous names listed in our academy squads between the U13-U15 levels this year e.g. Mia Crossley has been named in the U13s squad and Jeff White's twin boys Kai & Tahj have both been named in the U14s squad. Perhaps most interestingly (especially to Mini GF) is Titans legend Mark Minichiello's son Luca being named in our U15s squad. I had a look at last year's announced squads and Minichiello wasn't named in the U14s squad last year. So Luca must have improved a fair bit in the last 12 months. Would be a crazy story if the son of a Titans legend ends up getting academy drafted to us.

SUNS Academy 2025 HUB Squad Announcement

The 2025 StreetSmarts SUNS Academy Gold Coast and Northern Rivers HUB squads have been announced, featuring many of the zones most promising 13–15-year-old male and female footballers.

www.goldcoastfc.com.au

 

[Jen2310]

Some familiar/famous names listed in our academy squads between the U13-U15 levels this year e.g. Mia Crossley has been named in the U13s squad and Jeff White's twin boys Kai & Tahj have both been named in the U14s squad. Perhaps most interestingly (especially to Mini GF) is Titans legend Mark Minichiello's son Luca being named in our U15s squad. I had a look at last year's announced squads and Minichiello wasn't named in the U14s squad last year. So Luca must have improved a fair bit in the last 12 months. Would be a crazy story if the son of a Titans legend ends up getting academy drafted to us.

SUNS Academy 2025 HUB Squad Announcement

The 2025 StreetSmarts SUNS Academy Gold Coast and Northern Rivers HUB squads have been announced, featuring many of the zones most promising 13–15-year-old male and female footballers.

www.goldcoastfc.com.au

Not even just that.
But if the son of a NRL legend in rugby heartland converted to aussie rules over RL, that's massive on its own.

 

[GC2015]

Not even just that.
But if the son of a NRL legend in rugby heartland converted to aussie rules over RL, that's massive on its own.

That's a great point. It wouldn't be as impressive if Luca had grown up in Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth because you're naturally going to lean towards the most popular sport that your school friends are into, which would be Aussie rules in those cities. This is a prime example of why the northern academies exist - it's attracting juniors to the game that likely would have otherwise pursued another sport like Luca with rugby league.

However, convincing the son of a rugby league legend to play our sport is a very rare occurence and the only comparable example I can think of is Kieran Jack (and to a lesser degree his brother Brandon) whose father Garry was a legendary rugby league player. Hopefully Luca kicks on even more this year and gains selection for the U15 Queensland state team in this year's national championships. Should be an interesting journey to follow if he does end up becoming a draftable prospect in a few years.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Creeping into 2030 (and possibly 2031) drafts territory lands here.

The wheel never stops moving hey.

 

[Iva Bigun]

Creeping into 2030 (and possibly 2031) drafts territory lands here.

The wheel never stops moving hey.

Just in time for finals

 

[GC2015]

Creeping into 2030 (and possibly 2031) drafts territory lands here.

The wheel never stops moving hey.

2031 is going to be a special draft class for us. That will be the year we draft our first ever Father-Sun pick Kai Rischitelli.

Hopefully

 

[Jen2310]

Zeke dealing with a back issue, will be managed for a bit

Back issue to sideline No.1 pick contender, but season not over

Fears that the standout Suns Academy midfielder's year was over have proven to be unfounded

www.afl.com.au

 

[TheSunGod]

Zeke dealing with a back issue, will be managed for a bit

Back issue to sideline No.1 pick contender, but season not over

Fears that the standout Suns Academy midfielder's year was over have proven to be unfounded

www.afl.com.au

Hope it’s not a hereditary issue? On the plus side he might slide down the draft order.

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

Hope it’s not a hereditary issue? On the plus side he might slide down the draft order.

This would be great. Wouldn't hurt to reduce the hype on academy players a bit.

 

[Jirik13]

Hm, 2 stress reactions, on in pelvis and now back. Take it easy Zeke.

Preseason Q&A: Zeke Uwland (Suns Academy)

While injury will likely limit Zeke Uwland's top-age campaign, the Suns Academy star remains one of this year's top AFL Draft prospects.

central.rookieme.com

 

[Jirik13]

Even more talent in 2025? And forgot Addinsall?

Twomey

Gold Coast's Academy will again produce for the Suns, with No.1 pick contender Zeke Uwland, while the speed of Dylan Patterson and toughness of Koby Coulson has also caught the eye. Jai Murray, Cooper Collins and Max Hudson are other Academy prospects who have had recruiters watching their progress.

The Suns have access to Kalani White under Academy rules as well, with the son of former Melbourne star Jeff White to decide later this year whether he nominates as a father-son to the Demons or with the Suns.

Class of 2025: Clubs bracing for compromised draft

Clubs are bracing for up to 40 per cent of the 2025 draft pool to have ties to clubs through fathers and academies

www.afl.com.au

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

Even more talent in 2025? And forgot Addinsall?

Twomey

Gold Coast's Academy will again produce for the Suns, with No.1 pick contender Zeke Uwland, while the speed of Dylan Patterson and toughness of Koby Coulson has also caught the eye. Jai Murray, Cooper Collins and Max Hudson are other Academy prospects who have had recruiters watching their progress.

The Suns have access to Kalani White under Academy rules as well, with the son of former Melbourne star Jeff White to decide later this year whether he nominates as a father-son to the Demons or with the Suns.

Class of 2025: Clubs bracing for compromised draft

Clubs are bracing for up to 40 per cent of the 2025 draft pool to have ties to clubs through fathers and academies

www.afl.com.au

It's getting to the point where some will spill out to other clubs, which is a good thing imo. If those 7 (plus Addinsall) are all draftable the Suns can't take them all.

 

[TheSunGod]

Anyone know anything about Coulson, Collins and Hudson?

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

Anyone know anything about Coulson, Collins and Hudson?

PMBangers can you shed some light? Seen these guys in action?

 

[Jirik13]

It's getting to the point where some will spill out to other clubs, which is a good thing imo. If those 7 (plus Addinsall) are all draftable the Suns can't take them all.

For sure. We draft 3-4?