Today, we look at the Gold Coast Suns.
List:
During last season, the Suns’ leadership must have been pulling out their hair. There were times when they looked like they’d taken tranquilisers before the game (Round 6, v Richmond). Also, they didn’t match up well against smaller, speedier teams. Sure, it was Hardwick’s first year and, with Hayden Hill’s help, he looked and noted this all down. Hardwick loves his small, speedier players. (Don’t we all!)
Come the end of the year, almost a quarter of the list of mainly smalls and smaller-mediums were cleared out, ready to make way for boys with speed – Addinsall, Patterson, Z.Uwland, Coulson, Murray and Thomas – or experienced finishers – Petracca & Ugle-Hagan.
This season, Gold Coast will be a faster team. They should go better than last year on the basis that they lost a few winnable games and should do better.
The interesting one to watch is the 23yo and 206cm, Ned Moyle, with only 3 games last season, but would get a game with many other teams. The younger Read seems to be getting preference.
Select 23:
Gold Coast has a solid defence which should stay intact, although concern remains over Noble’s ability to put his teammates under pressure, with his long kicks hitting the opposition too many times.
The forward half will be enhanced with the experienced finisher Petracca. Also Ugle-Hagan (if fit) might be preferred to Walter, as U-H has a history of kicking multiple goals, whereas Jed Walter still needs another year or two to develop.
Then, you bring the kids in around the ground for outside speed and for midfield rotations.
Gold Coast just snuck in last season. This year will be one where they consolidate their squad to ensure that the next few steps lead them all the way.
Gold Coast 2026 Select 23:
B: Powell, Andrew, Jeffrey
HB: B.Uwland, Collins, Rioli
C: Patterson, Miller, J.Murray
HF: Petracca, Ugle-Hagan, Coulson
F: B.Long, B.King, Lombard
R: Witts, Anderson, Rowell
I: Noble, Z.Uwland, Read, Humphrey, W.Graham
You can follow all my list updates as they become available at https://www.ozfootylistmanager.com/2026-lists-new.html
(GWS is next.)
More from Micky McTigger Here
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About
It was 25 years ago that I began developing a model for analysing footy squad lists for the purpose of improving those lists into a premiership window. Since then, the model has been used to successfully predict premiership clubs and to improve either lop-sided or underdeveloped lists into premiership lists. Indeed, the model was used for an article that I had published as a double page spread in The Age 2005 Pre-Season magazine. Over the 25 years, I have analysed the annual lists of one particular club but have used it for other clubs upon request. It has always been on my bucket list to display the lists of all the clubs, using the model, which I've done since 2021 on my website - OzFootyListManager.com
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