How newest footy factory stole Aus’ ‘best athletes’ from rival codes… and other AFL clubs can benefit

Dylan Patterson was being touted as a future star rugby league full-back.

Zeke Uwland was contemplating a cricket career.

Ava Usher’s first loves were basketball and surf lifesaving.

Watch live coverage of the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft on Kayo Sports 19-20 Nov | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

Sunny Lappin could’ve nominated Carlton or St Kilda.

Instead, all aforementioned players not only pursued an AFL and AFLW career, they also stuck with the Gold Coast Suns.

That’s the power and influence of the club’s academy.

Fans who haven’t followed this year’s AFL and AFLW draft crops too closely will likely get a jarring shock when they see how many club-tied players are taken early – especially Suns academy prospects.

Yes, tweaks probably need to be made to the AFL draft bidding system to ensure clubs with academies pay a fairer price to secure their top talent. And you’ll see a glimpse of that at Wednesday night’s national draft with a new, stricter Draft Value Index (DVI) now in place.

But the big picture perspective is important.

“It’s important for the growth of the game, you need these local stars to come through and help promote your game,” triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown told foxfooty.com.au last month.

“Those (northern) academies are really important and strong … You can understand why clubs are blowing up about it and the AFL potentially will limit it, but it’s very important to grow the draft pool Australia-wide.”

‘WE’RE HERE TO COMPETE’

If it wasn’t for the Suns’ academy pathway and program, these top-end 2025 draft prospects from Queensland could’ve been lost to other sports.

Not only that, they enter the AFL and AFLW systems, essentially, as second-year players, for a prospect’s draft campaign often looks like the first year of professional footballer life.

“I can’t thank them enough, I wouldn’t be here without them (the Suns academy),” Uwland told foxfooty.com.au’s Dylan Bolch. “Footy was such a minority sport in Queensland growing up, so to have their support and the pathway they provide to the AFL, it holds us in great stead to choose football instead of another sport like rugby league.

“I think I would’ve played cricket. We always had a passion for footy but if there’s no pathway, you lose interest and get caught up in other sports where there’s greater opportunities,” he said.

“I think all the chat around the Academies, you’ve got to remember what they’re really there for. It’s not to make Gold Coast or Brisbane the best side ever, it’s to help our pathways and make Queensland a football state.”

Patterson added: “I think no one sort of really understands the fact that we’re actually here to compete and that we’re not just another group of teenagers. Like, we’re actually here to play.

“We have talent and the more people that choose footy in the Gold Coast is just going to provide more talent to the AFL system up north. Realistically, people might look down a bit on the northern academies and stuff like that, but it’s only improving the game. It’s enjoyable to see people around you work hard and get the reward from it.”

Several rival clubs, too, could benefit from the Suns academy’s work this season.

While the Suns are expected to match early bids on both Uwland and Patterson on Wednesday night, there’s a good chance the club won’t have enough points to secure one of midfield trio Jai Murray, Koby Coulson or, most likely, Beau Addinsall.

From an AFLW perspective, the Suns could have at least seven – possibly a few more – academy graduates to choose from, including Usher, Lappin, Georja Davies, Dekota Baron, Alannah Welsh, Rhianna Ingram and Mikayla Nurse. The first five players could all be in the first-round mix.

The Suns can use draft points to match bids on their top boys prospects later this week. Next month, their AFLW list management team must match a bid with a selection within 18 picks on the night – a task that’ll be made easier this year with AFLW teams now able to trade future picks.

But it’s almost certain a few Gold Coast prospects could slip to another club.

SOUTHERN QLD PRODUCING AUSTRALIA’S ‘BEST ATHLETES’

And Brown, who splits his time in-AFL season between Melbourne and south-east Queensland, believes it’ll only enhance the footy landscape.

“I just see the kids and the amount of sport they’re playing, growing up on beaches … the best athletes, in my mind, growing up as kids are those from south-east Queensland – especially the ones that grow up around the beaches. They just play so many different sports and got access to the beaches,” he said.

“The more talent you can acquire from 12 or 13 years old where they’re preferring footy over other sports, that’s just great for the whole competition.”

Patterson, a powerful and explosive half-back/wing prospect who’s expected to attract a bid from Richmond on Wednesday night, echoed Brown’s sentiment.

“Like my best mate, for example, is a soccer player and one of my other mates is a rugby league player. My school, for example, AFL is not even the biggest sport at our school – and I haven’t been at Palm Beach-Currumbin and lost a game of football,” Patterson told foxfooty.com.au.

“Rugby league top-tier, touch football – pretty much everything. The Gold Coast is very good, especially in the schools, they’re bringing a lot more sport to it and it’s just become a lot bigger. Hopefully the AFL picks up a bit more in the school system, but it’s just growing everywhere.

“There’s so many athletes coming from here, even to the NFL … you don’t just get that every day.”

And Usher – a quick, powerful midfielder who’d be in Pick 1 AFLW draft mix – “100 per cent” agreed with Brown.

“The opportunity we get on the Gold Coast specifically – but also Queensland in general – will actually surprise a lot of people,” she told foxfooty.com.au.

“Not being a footy state, it’s pretty cool to see how many girls we have this year coming through this year and next year and the years to come and previous years. But we are really strong coming out of Queensland in every sport.”

GROWING UP TOGETHER

A northern academy member’s journey usually officially begins around the time when they’re transitioning from primary school to secondary school.

Some stick around for a few years then move on. Others see if through right up until their draft year.

It means the club’s most ‘draftable’ academy prospects, who grew up playing with and against each other at various levels, end up having close bonds with each other.

When Patterson sees the Suns take Leo Lombard last year – 12 months after Gold Coast matched bids on all of Jed Walter, Ethan Read, Jake Rogers and Will Graham in the first round – it makes the transition from academy life to full-time AFL life smoother and more exciting.

“It was definitely pretty exciting,” Patterson said of the 2023 Suns crop.

“Obviously with Leo Lombard last year again, it keeps adding a little bit more to the system. You think that in a few more years, there’s going to be a few more picks. You just hope that it just keeps on that incline.”

Usher, who joined the academy when she was 12 years old, is best friends with Havana Harris – the second prospect taken in the 2024 AFLW draft. Harris made a splash in her debut season, kicking a team-high 11 goals from a full 12 games.

Usher couldn’t have been prouder of Harris – and more excited to hopefully play alongside her next year.

“It’s really exciting to see. With ‘Hav’ being my literal best friend, I’m so happy for her and I knew she would go straight into the league and dominate,” she said.

“To see they were in our shoes this time last year is pretty cool. I’ve made some lifelong friends with those girls. I’ve played with them since I was 12 and then as a double bottom-age player as a 15-year-old, 16-year-old and 17-year-old.

“Watching them grow and develop and blossom into the players they are now, as first-year players, is pretty cool.”

Lappin played with Harris, as well as fellow academy-to-AFLW Suns like Kiara Bischer, Sienna McMullen, Nyalli Milne, Tara Harrington and Heidi Talbot during her junior career.

She said she had gotten a real kick out of watching her former teammates represent the Suns at the top level.

“It’s so cool, especially with the way the game is going and the way that there’s girls who have played footy from a very young age. Like, they grew up with it essentially,” Lappin told foxfooty.com.au.

“It’s getting into a place where you can see all these first-year players are doing things that the game hasn’t seen before because they’ve got this background in the sport that a lot of the other W players don’t have.

“It’s one of those things where you’re watching people that I’ve known for a very long time, they’re getting drafted – and now it’s suddenly like my turn to try and do that.

EASIER TRANSITION

Lappin for months had been weighing up whether to nominate as a Suns academy prospect or choose either Carlton or St Kilda under the father-daughter rule as her dad, 2004 All-Australian Matthew Lappin, played for both clubs during his 14-season AFL career.

But Lappin, who looms as a top-10 selection in this year’s AFLW draft, chose the Suns because she thought she’d play her best footy at the top level if she remained on the Gold Coast.

“I had a huge decision to make and lots to consider – a big one was family and friends and the idea of moving interstate. I don’t think I’d play as good of footy if I was somewhere else other than where all my favourite people are,” Lappin said.

Lappin also said the prospect of playing under academy coach Rhyce Shaw at AFLW level as well played a significant role in her decision, adding: “I think that he’s building something special at the Gold Coast Suns and that’s something I’d really love to be a part of.”

Usher, too, has a close bond with Shaw.

“He’s also been like a role model for me through my ACL (injury rehab). He’s done two in his lifetime and he’s taught me a bit of patience throughout the journey,” she said.

“He’s an unbelievable coach … The way he thinks about things and puts it into action is actually so amazing. The way he gets around the girls, whether it’s in our control or out of our control, it’s on us still.”

‘HOPEFULLY SEE A CUP SOON’

Prospects like Uwland and Patterson will be joining the Suns’ AFL program at an exciting time.

Under coach Damien Hardwick, Gold Coast broke through for its maiden finals campaign – and made it to the semi-final stage after a thrilling elimination final triumph over Fremantle in Perth.

And you sense the Suns’ flag credentials aren’t diminishing anytime soon.

“The success (of the Suns) this year was unreal and I can only think it’s going to go up from here,” Patterson said.

“It’s a beautiful spot to live, so you’d think a few people wouldn’t mind heading towards that direction and hopefully see a cup getting picked up soon.”

The Suns’ AFLW team, meanwhile, is in the middle of a rebuild, finishing 18th this year after a 17th-place finish in 2024. They had one of the youngest and least-experienced lists in the competition in 2025.

But the foundation of the rebuild is the draft and their academy prospects.

“I think it’s a more exciting thing, to be honest,” usher said of the prospect of possibly joining a young Suns list.

“Every team’s got their experienced players and their girls who have played in the league for nine to 10 years. But the young, fresh legs I think is something that’s going to work really well if I end up at the Suns.

“I’ve played with those girls since I was 12, so the connection we’ve already got and built wouldn’t be too bad, I don’t think.”

Whatever your take on the Suns academy program and set-up, it’s working wonders.

“You can see it’s starting to become a bit more of a footy state over time,” Patterson said.

“Realistically, more people I know are getting around it, people I don’t know are getting around it – just because of the pure fact that their mates are making it.

“I know people might not pay attention to the Gold Coast, but it’s good to see that the Gold Coast is sort of starting to finally realise footy might be a bit bigger than they thought it was.”

A WORD ON THE TOP SUNS AFL ACADEMY PROSPECTS

Patterson on Zeke Uwland: “He’s definitely a talent. He can do stuff no one really can do, he’s a bit of a freak. Wherever he goes, he’ll end up finding a way into a team and give them an edge. Yeah, I do (think the Errol Gulden comparison is appropriate). Obviously a left-footer, a bit shorter but can kick the footy.”

Patterson on Jai Murray: “He’s definitely a hard-worker. Pretty much every time I’m at the Suns he’s there as well – and probably a bit longer than me. He’s been a bit stiff with all the injuries, but he’s a talent and he’s definitely put on a bit of size after getting injured. When he gets a chance to play again, I feel like it might be a bit hard to stop him.”

Patterson on Koby Coulson: “I’ve grown up with him and I’ve seen the hard work he’s done – and I think clubs are going to recognise that. The fact he’s been able to put it into practice this year and prove himself, I think he deserves a Round 1 pick just as much as anyone else. He made All-Australian and you can’t take that away from him because he’s had such a good year.”

TOP SUNS AFLW ACADEMY PROSPECTS

Usher on Georja Davies: “She’s a very exciting player. During the national champs, she got chucked through half-back a little bit. Shows her ruck capabilities as well, but across half-back takes some really great intercept marks. You could put her anywhere on the ground and she wouldn’t mind.”

Lappin on Dekota Baron: “I think that there’s something insane about the way that she plays. I see some of the stuff that she does and I think with the right coaching and the right environment, she could do absolutely incredible things. The way she flies for the ball, the way she sees the footy in the air and is prepared to jump on anybody’s heads is so incredible. I think that’s something not a lot of girls in the AFLW are doing now. I think she could be a real impactful player.”

Lappin on Rhianna Ingram: “I’ve played with her for a couple of years now and I think this year when she got moved into that half-back role is when I started to see stuff … I think she wouldn’t know it, but I think she’s a very smart player and I think her skills are really good. The biggest thing is I think she works so much harder than most of the people that I know. I’ve seen her this year grow from someone who you probably wouldn’t know last year to this year, she’s up in conversations and she’s coming to these things. I rate her a lot, she’s a very talented footballer and I would love to see her career and how it pans out for her.”