View source for Gold Coast Suns

{{Short description|Australian rules football club}}
{{About|the Australian rules football team|the defunct baseball team|Gold Coast Suns (baseball)}}
{{for|the former newspaper serving the Gold Coast|Gold Coast Sun}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox australian football club
|color1 = #BD0102
|color2 = #FFDB60
|color3 = solid #004677
| clubname  = Gold Coast Suns
| image     = Gold Coast Suns logo (introduced late 2024).svg
| image_size = 200
| fullname  = GCFC Limited, ''trading as'' Gold Coast Suns<ref>{{cite web|title=Current details for ABN 47 144 555 822|url=https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?abn=47144555822|website=ABN Lookup|date = November 2014|publisher=Australian Business Register|access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>
| nicknames = Suns, Sunnies, Coasters
| season    = [[2024 AFL season|<span style="color:#FFDD00">2024</span>]]
| pre-season = 
| home&away  = '''[[Australian Football League|AFL]]:''' 13th
| topgoalkicker = '''[[Australian Football League|AFL]]:''' [[Ben King (footballer)|Ben King]] (55 goals)
| bestandfairest = '''[[Australian Football League|AFL]]:''' [[Sam Collins (Australian footballer)|Sam Collins]]
| bestandfairestname = Gold Coast Suns Club Champion
| founded = {{Start date and age|2009}}
| colours = '''Official colours:'''<br />{{color box|#BD0102|border=silver}} Deep Red<br />{{color box|#FFDB60|border=silver}} Sunburnt Gold<br />{{color box|#004677|border=silver}} Oceanic Blue <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1693218/introducing-fearless | title=Introducing FEARLESS | date=14 November 2024 }}</ref>
;
'''Alternative colours:'''<br />{{color box|#EF929E|border=silver}} Pink<br />{{color box|#333333|border=silver}} Charcoal <ref>https://shop.goldcoastfc.com.au/mens-travel-shorts-pink-charcoal-updating/</ref>
| league    = '''[[Australian Football League|AFL]]:''' Senior men<br />'''[[AFL Women's|AFLW]]:''' Senior women<br />'''[[Victorian Football League|VFL]]:''' Reserves men
| chairman  = Bob East
| ceo       = Mark Evans
| coach     = '''AFL:''' [[Damien Hardwick]] <br />'''AFLW:''' [[Rhyce Shaw]]<br />'''VFL:''' [[Tate Kaesler]]
| captain   = '''AFL:''' [[Noah Anderson]]<br />'''AFLW:''' [[Tara Bohanna]]<br />'''VFL:''' ''TBD'' 
| premierships = '''AFL''' (0) {{hlist|}}<br>'''AFLW''' (0) {{hlist|}}<br>'''VFL''' (1)<br>[[2023 VFL season|2023]]
| ground    = [[Carrara Stadium|People First Stadium]]
| capacity  = 45,500
| formerground = 
| span      = 
| trainingground = [[Carrara Stadium|People First Stadium]] & [[Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre]]

| pattern_b1      = _gcs2025h
| pattern_sh1     = 
| pattern_so1     = _goldtopD
| body1           = E11B0A
| shorts1         = E11B0A
| socks1          = E11B0A

| pattern_b2     = _gcs2025c
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| body3          = ffb6c1
| shorts3         = 2A3439
| socks3          = 2A3439
| pattern_name3 = Gather Round

| url       = {{URL|http://goldcoastfc.com.au/|goldcoastfc.com.au}}
| jumper    = 
| current   = 
}}
The '''Gold Coast Suns''', officially the '''Gold Coast Football Club''', are a professional [[Australian rules football]] club that competes in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL). The club is based on [[Queensland]]'s [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]] in the suburb of [[Carrara, Queensland|Carrara]].

The club has been playing in the AFL since the [[2011 AFL season|2011 season]]. It plays home matches at [[Carrara Stadium]] (known for commercial purposes as [[Carrara Stadium|People First Stadium]]) and has its training and administrative facilities located at the adjacent [[Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre]]. The club is one of two AFL clubs based in Queensland, the other being its main rival, the [[Brisbane Lions]], which it competes against in the [[QClash]].

In addition to the men's team, the Suns field other teams, including an [[AFL Women's]] side, a reserves side in the [[Victorian Football League]], and a Gold Coast Suns Academy side consisting of the club's best junior development signings. It also competes in Division 2 of the [[AFL Under-19 Championships|men's]], [[AFL Women's Under-18 Championships|women's]] underage championships, and the [[Talent League]].

==History==
{{main|History of the Gold Coast Suns}}
[[File:Performance Chart AFL GOL.svg|thumb|Chart of yearly ladder positions for Gold Coast in [[Australian Football League|AFL]]]]

===Foundation===
The first application for a licence by a Gold Coast team to enter the AFL was made in 1996 by the wealthy and popular Gold Coast based [[Southport Sharks]] club (formed 1961), with an excess of 20,000 members, the on-field QAFL powerhouse made a formal bid to the AFL. However, the AFL declined the license in favour of admitting the [[Port Adelaide Football Club]]. There was strong opposition from the majority of the QAFL clubs and supporters, and the AFL felt that the popular Sharks brand, and its reliance on gaming and hospitality revenue, could divide rather than unite the Gold Coast community. In 2006, the AFL attempted to negotiate a merger between the Sharks and a Melbourne-based club. The AFL made the Gold Coast a primary target for a [[proposed relocation of the North Melbourne Football Club]] which had sold some of its home games there. The league pushed for a merger with the Sharks offering significant financial incentives, however North Melbourne blocked the move and the AFL decided that a new licence would be the best avenue for moving forward. On 24 December 2007, the AFL obtained [[Australian Securities and Investments Commission]] (ASIC) registration for the name "Gold Coast Football Club Ltd".<ref name="Silence">Wilson, C; [http://www.realfooty.com.au/articles/2008/03/13/1205126110877.html Silence from presidents means 18-team AFL], [[The Age]]. Retrieved 14 March 2008</ref><ref name=ASIC_Registration_GCFC>
{{cite web|url=http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?acn=129_026_857|title = ASIC Free Company Name Search|access-date=7 September 2008|publisher=[[Australian Securities and Investments Commission|ASIC]]}}</ref> In March 2008 the AFL won the support of the league's 16 club presidents to establish sides on the [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]] and in [[Western Sydney]].<ref>Wilson, Caroline; [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/its-war-afl-raids-league-heartland/2008/02/15/1202760609307.html Raid on home turf of league] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907171209/http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/its-war-afl-raids-league-heartland/2008/02/15/1202760609307.html |date=7 September 2008 }}; Realfooty.com.au; 16 February 2008</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/07/23/241201_gold-coast-afl.html |title = AFL |access-date = 6 August 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121005010530/http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/07/23/241201_gold-coast-afl.html |archive-date = 5 October 2012 |url-status = live }}</ref> Shortly thereafter the AFL invited the Sharks to become part of a consortium, and the club made a $150,000 donation and sought to meet the strict criteria set down for inclusion by the AFL.<ref>[https://www.afl.com.au/news/107997/sharks-add-150k-to-gold-coast-bid Sharks add $150k to Gold Coast bid] from AFL.com.au May 31, 2008</ref> As part of the winning bid, the Sharks contributed $10 million in corporate sponsorship. However the AFL officially ruled out use of the Sharks nickname (along with other nominations including the Dolphins and Pirates) for the new club, despite them being the highest polling choices of AFL supporters.<ref>[https://www.afl.com.au/news/104427/gc17-bid-team-float-five-names-for-club#:~:text=THE%20Gold%20Coast%20bid%20team,%2C%20Guards%2C%20Rays%20and%20Stingrays GC17 bid team float five names for club] Jul 14, 2008</ref> The club's identity was put to a public nomination and voting process with the Marlins and Stingrays being the most popular of the available options among community stakeholders. In response to the poll, however the AFL announced that it would not adopt any of the community suggested names and the team would initially remain unnamed and that the nickname would evolve. However it was later leaked that the AFL's marketing department had already chosen the Suns brand independent of the community consultation.<ref>[https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/gold-coast-name-your-identity-20100714-10a00.html Gold Coast: name your identity] by Will Brodie for The Age July 14, 2010</ref>

The new club was formally granted the licence to compete in the AFL on 31 March 2009.<ref name="ABC_Sports_31Mar209_GoldCoastFC_Licence">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/31/2530986.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401115252/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/31/2530986.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 April 2009|title=Gold Coast gets AFL licence|date=1 April 2009|work=ABC News}}</ref>

AFL CEO [[Andrew Demetriou]] announced the club could debut in the [[Queensland State League (Australian rules football)|Queensland State League]] in 2009 as it recruited players and prepared for its debut season in the AFL, which the league scheduled for 2011.<ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/gold-coast-to-play-in-2009/2008/03/22/1205602735993.html | title =Gold Coast to play in 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080326181541/http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/gold-coast-to-play-in-2009/2008/03/22/1205602735993.html|archive-date=26 March 2008}}</ref> Marquee AFL players such as [[Nick Riewoldt]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/afl/afl-news/gold-coast-to-target-riewoldt-20091124-j8e5.html|title=Gold Coast to target Riewoldt|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> [[Lance Franklin]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/buddy-plays-it-cool/story-0-1225700592624|title=Buddy Franklin plays it cool on Gold Coast talk &#124; thetelegraph.com.au|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> [[Nic Naitanui]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Tim |date=2010-05-08 |title=Gold Coast in love with Naitanui |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/gold-coast-in-love-with-naitanui-20100507-ujdf.html |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref> and [[Kurt Tippett]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/05/20/11318_afl-sport.html|title=Tippett should be tip-top Coast AFL target AFL &#124; goldcoast.com.au &#124; Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> were speculated as potential signings for Gold Coast, though all four men ended up re-signing with their existing clubs. In June 2008 it was announced that the new team would play in the [[TAC Cup]] in 2009 and the [[Victorian Football League]] in 2010 ahead of its entry into the AFL in 2011.<ref>[http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/tac-cup-to-help-blood-new-team/2008/06/04/1212258909342.html TAC Cup to help blood new team] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904073149/http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/tac-cup-to-help-blood-new-team/2008/06/04/1212258909342.html |date=4 September 2008 }}; realfooty.com.au</ref> Later that year the board of business-people who had been appointed to set up the club, and were known as the ''GC17'' bid, appointed [[West Australian Football League|WAFL]] coach and former {{AFL WC}} player [[Guy McKenna]] as senior coach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.smh.com.au/sport/guy-mckenna-named-gold-coast-afl-coach-20080813-3ujb.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813041718/http://news.smh.com.au/sport/guy-mckenna-named-gold-coast-afl-coach-20080813-3ujb.html|title=Guy McKenna named Gold Coast AFL coach|archive-date=13 August 2008}}</ref> Essendon administrator [[Travis Auld]] was selected as head of the GC17 board, and would go on to lead the club in an off-field capacity for several years.<ref name="AustralianBroadcastingCorporation_News_2009May15_GCFC17">{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/15/2571530.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516210555/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/15/2571530.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 May 2009|title=Bombers boss named Gold Coast CEO|date=15 May 2009|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=19 May 2009}}</ref><ref name="AustralianBroadcastingCorporation_News_2009May18_GCFC17">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/18/2573641.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231090741/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/18/2573641.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 December 2012|title='Big challenges' face new Gold Coast FC boss|newspaper=ABC News|date=18 May 2009|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=19 May 2009}}</ref>

The AFL were able to successfully negotiate with the [[Queensland Government]] to redevelop [[Carrara Stadium]] as the club's new home ground. The announcement of the redevelopment, of which a small portion was funded by the AFL, was made in May 2009.<ref name="Canberra kicks in $36m for Coast AFL stadium">{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=Jenny|title=Canberra kicks in $36m for Coast AFL stadium|url=http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/05/07/76535_gold-coast-afl.html|access-date=28 May 2011|newspaper=Gold Coast Bulletin|date=7 May 2009}}</ref> On 22 July 2010 club administrators announced that the club would be known as the ''Gold Coast Suns'', and adopt the colours red, gold and blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/club/history|title=History|work=Gold Coast Suns}}</ref>

===2009: TAC Cup===
{{main|2009 Gold Coast Football Club season}}
The club's newly assembled junior squad competed in the 2009 [[TAC Cup]] under 18 competition and won most of their games, eventually finishing in 5th place. They defeated the [[Northern Knights Football Club|Northern Knights]] in the elimination final but then lost their semi final to the [[Geelong Falcons]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/events/results/ |title=Gold Coast Football Club – AFL – Results |publisher=Gold Coast FC.com.au |access-date=11 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015052505/http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/events/results/ |archive-date=15 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/events/tac-cup-fixture/ |title=Gold Coast Football Club – AFL – TAC Cup Fixture |publisher=Gold Coast FC.com.au |access-date=11 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016092754/http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/events/tac-cup-fixture/ |archive-date=16 October 2009}}</ref>

===2010: VFL===
{{main|2010 VFL season}}
In November 2009 the team signed twelve 17-year-olds around the country to compete in the [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL) year through the under age access rules. These players included [[Luke Russell]] ([[Burnie Dockers Football Club|Burnie]]), [[Maverick Weller]] ([[Burnie Dockers Football Club|Burnie]]), [[Taylor Hine]] ([[Calder Cannons|Calder]]), [[Josh Toy]] ([[Calder Cannons|Calder]]), [[Matt Shaw (Australian rules footballer)|Matt Shaw]] ([[Dandenong Stingrays|Dandenong]]), [[Piers Flanagan]] ([[Geelong Falcons|Geelong]]), [[Hayden Jolly]] ([[Glenelg Football Club|Glenelg]]), [[Alex Keath]] ([[Murray Bushrangers|Murray]]), [[Jack Hutchins (Australian footballer)|Jack Hutchins]] ([[Sandringham Dragons|Sandringham]]), [[Tom Nicholls]] ([[Sandringham Dragons|Sandringham]]), [[Brandon Matera]] ([[South Fremantle Football Club|South Fremantle]]), [[Trent McKenzie]] ([[Western Jets]]).

The Gold Coast was also given permission (by the AFL) to play [[David Swallow]] in 2010, despite not being the correct age. The deal that was struck with the AFL stated that Swallow would still need to go through the [[2010 AFL Draft]] to officially join the team, while the other under age recruits contracts would run through 2011.

These are the results and fixture for the 2010 season, in which the club competed in the [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.sportingpulse.com/team_info.cgi?c=1-118-81425-102874-11678033&a=SFIX| title = Gold Coast Football Club – 2010 Season Fixture| publisher = VFL.com.au| access-date = 11 July 2009}}</ref>

'''Inaugural VFL team'''
{{Aussie rules team | title = Inaugural GCFC team (round 1, 2010 season)
| backpocket1 = [[Matt Shaw (Australian rules footballer)|Matt Shaw]]
| fullback = [[Jack Hutchins (footballer)|Jack Hutchins]]
| backpocket2 = Michael Gugliotta
| halfbackflank1 = [[Taylor Hine]]
| centrehalfback = [[Michael Coad]]
| halfbackflank2 = [[Maverick Weller]]
| wing1 = [[Trent McKenzie]]
| centre = [[Marc Lock]] ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|c]])
| wing2 = [[Luke Russell]]
| halfforwardflank1 = [[Alik Magin]]
| centrehalfforward = [[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]]
| halfforwardflank2 = [[Brandon Matera]]
| forwardpocket1 = [[Liam Patrick]]
| fullforward = [[Nathan Ablett]]
| forwardpocket2 = [[Rex Liddy]]
| ruck = [[Zac Smith]]
| ruckrover = [[Daniel Harris (footballer)|Daniel Harris]]
| rover = [[Sam Iles]]
| interchange1 = [[Danny Stanley]]
| interchange2 = [[Rory Thompson]]
| interchange3 = [[Hayden Jolly]]
| interchange4 = [[David Swallow]]
| interchange5 = Luke Shreeve
| interchange6 = [[Joseph Daye]]
| coach = [[Guy McKenna]]
}}

{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable toccolours"
|-
!  style="background:white; color:black; width:670px;"|'''Gold Coast Season 2010'''
|-
|
{| class="sortable"
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| '''Rd'''
| '''Home team'''
| '''Score'''
|
| '''Away team'''
| '''Score'''
| '''Ground'''
| '''Date'''
|-
| 1
| Gold Coast
| 15.7 (97)
| def by
| '''[[Port Melbourne Football Club|Port Melbourne]]'''
| 15.19 (109)
| Fankhauser Reserve
| Saturday, 10 April
|-
| 2
| Gold Coast
| 11.11 (77)
| def by
| '''[[Williamstown Football Club|Williamstown]]'''
| 16.17 (113)
| Merrimac Oval
| Saturday, 17 April
|-
| 3
| '''[[Werribee Football Club|Werribee]]'''
| 11.18 (84)
| drew with
| '''Gold Coast'''
| 12.12 (84)
| [[Chirnside Park]]
| Saturday, 24 April
|-
| 4
| Gold Coast
| 10.9 (69)
| def by
| '''[[Casey Scorpions]]'''
| 10.17 (77)
| Fankhauser Reserve
| Saturday, 1 May
|-
| 5
| '''[[Bendigo Bombers]]'''
| 15.17 (107)
| def
| Gold Coast
| 12.9 (81)
| [[Queen Elizabeth Oval]]
| Saturday, 8 May
|-
| 6
| '''Gold Coast'''
| 10.8 (68)
| def
| [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]]
| 5.10 (40)
| Fankhauser Reserve
| Saturday, 15 May
|-
| 7
| Gold Coast
| 5.8 (38)
| def by
| [[Collingwood VFL Football Club|Collingwood]]
| 7.15 (58)
| Fankhauser Reserve
| Saturday, 29 May
|-
| 8
| '''[[Northern Bullants]]'''
| 26.10 (166)
| def
| Gold Coast
| 9.7 (61)
| [[Visy Park]]
| Saturday, 5 June
|-
| 9
| '''[[Coburg Football Club|Coburg Tigers]]'''
| 17.21 (123)
| def
| Gold Coast
| 11.10 (76)
| Highgate Recreation Reserve
| Saturday, 12 June
|-
| 10
| '''Gold Coast'''
| 15.13 (103)
| def
| [[Frankston Football Club|Frankston]]
| 7.4 (46)
| Merrimac Oval
| Saturday, 26 June
|-
| 11
| Gold Coast
|11.8 (74)
| def by
| '''[[Box Hill Hawks Football Club|Box Hill Hawks]]'''
| 19.16 (130)
| Fankhauser Reserve
| Saturday, 3 July
|-
| 12
| '''[[North Ballarat Football Club|North Ballarat]]'''
| 6.12 (48)
| def
| Gold Coast
| 3.1 (19)
| Eureka Stadium
| Saturday, 10 July
|-
| 13
| '''Gold Coast'''
| 13.12 (90)
| def
| [[Bendigo Bombers]]
| 13.11 (89)
| [[Cazaly's Stadium]]
| Saturday, 17 July
|-
| 14
| '''Gold Coast'''
| 14.15 (99)
| def
| [[Sandringham Football Club|Sandringham]]
| 11.7 (73)
| Cooke-Murphy Oval
| Saturday, 24 July
|-
| 15
| '''[[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]]'''
| 13.10 (88)
| def
| Gold Coast
| 11.5 (71)
| [[Kardinia Park (stadium)|Skilled Stadium]]
| Saturday, 31 July
|-
| 16
| '''[[Casey Scorpions]]'''
| 18.11 (119)
| def
| Gold Coast
| 17.13 (115)
| [[Casey Fields]]
| Saturday, 7 August
|-
| 17
| '''Gold Coast'''
| 15.9 (99)
| def
| [[Werribee Football Club|Werribee]]
| 14.14 (98)
| Fankhauser Reserve
| Saturday, 14 August
|-
| 18
| '''Collingwood'''
| 21.12 (138)
| def
| Gold Coast
| 13.10 (88)
| [[Victoria Park, Melbourne|Victoria Park]]
| Saturday, 21 August
|}
|}
<small>Source: [https://australianfootball.com/seasons/season/vfl/126/premiership%2Bseason/9/9/2010 2010 VFL Season Results]</small>

===2011: AFL debut===
'''Concessions on entry into the AFL'''
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! Year !! Draft picks !! Senior list size !! Salary cap allowance !! Zone access !! Notes
|-
| 2009 || - || - || - || 20 QLD || The club was granted access to twenty 17-year-old Queensland players who were eligible for the [[2009 AFL draft]]. The team competed in the under 18 [[TAC Cup]] competition in 2009.
|-
| 2010 || - || - || - || 5 QLD<br />2 NT || The club was allowed to sign up to twelve 17-year-olds born between 1 January and 30 April 1992. The club also received the first 5 picks in the rookie draft. The team competed in the [[Victorian Football League]] competition in 2010.
|-
| 2011 || 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 26, 43 || 48 || $1,000,000 extra || 5 QLD || At the conclusion of the 2010 season the club was able to sign up to 16 current AFL players who were uncontracted for the 2011 season. The club was also allowed to sign up to 10 players who had previously elected for the national draft and weren't selected.
|-
| 2012 || AFL standard || 46 || $800,000 extra || 5 QLD || -
|-
| 2013 || AFL standard || 42 || $600,000 extra || AFL standard || -
|-
| 2014 || AFL standard || 40 || $400,000 extra || AFL standard || -
|-
| 2015 || AFL standard || AFL standard || AFL standard || AFL standard || All concessions removed and the club operates like every other team in the AFL.
|}

'''Players acquired through concessions'''
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! Concession !! Players acquired
|-
| QLD zone access || [[Joseph Daye]] (2009), [[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]] (2009), Jesse Haberfield (2009), [[Tom Hickey (footballer born 1991)|Tom Hickey]] (2010), <br />[[Rex Liddy]] (2010), [[Marc Lock]] (2009), Lewis Moss (2010), [[Zac Smith]] (2009), <br />Jack Stanlake (2009), Jack Stanley (2009), [[Rory Thompson]] (2009), [[Joel Wilkinson]] (2010).
|-
| NT zone access || [[Steven May]] (2010), [[Liam Patrick]] (2009).
|-
| 2009 rookie selections || [[Daniel Harris (footballer)|Daniel Harris]] (1), [[Michael Coad]] (2), [[Sam Iles]] (3), Roland Ah Chee (4), <br /> [[Danny Stanley]] (5).
|-
| 2009 underage selections || [[Piers Flanagan]], [[Taylor Hine]], [[Jack Hutchins (Australian footballer)|Jack Hutchins]], [[Hayden Jolly]], [[Brandon Matera]], <br />[[Trent McKenzie]], [[Tom Nicholls]], [[Luke Russell]], [[Matt Shaw (Australian rules footballer)|Matt Shaw]], [[Josh Toy]], <br />[[Maverick Weller]].
|-
| 2010 off-contract signings || [[Gary Ablett Jr]], [[Nathan Bock]], [[Jared Brennan]], [[Campbell Brown (footballer)|Campbell Brown]], [[Josh Fraser]], <br /> [[Jarrod Harbrow]], [[Nathan Krakouer]], [[Michael Rischitelli]].
|-
| 2010 draft selections || [[David Swallow]] (1), [[Harley Bennell]] (2), [[Sam Day (Australian footballer)|Sam Day]] (3), [[Josh Caddy]] (7), [[Dion Prestia]] (9), <br /> [[Daniel Gorringe]] (10), [[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer born 1992)|Tom Lynch]] (11), [[Seb Tape]] (13).
|}

'''Initial 2011 playing squad recruitment'''
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="4"|2011 Playing Squad
|-  style="background:#c1d8ff; text-align:center;"
| '''Name'''
| '''State'''
| '''Recruited From'''
| '''Selection Type'''
|-
| [[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]]
| [[Queensland]]
| [[Redland Australian Football Club|Redland Bombers]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Rex Liddy]]
| Queensland
| [[Kenmore Australian Football Club|Kenmore Bears]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Lewis Moss]]
| Queensland
| [[Port Douglas AFC|Port Douglas Crocs]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Zac Smith]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Jack Stanlake]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Joel Wilkinson]]
| Queensland
| [[Broadbeach Australian Football Club|Broadbeach Cats]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Joseph Daye]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Rory Thompson]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Tom Hickey (footballer born 1991)|Tom Hickey]]
| Queensland
| [[Morningside Australian Football Club|Morningside Panthers]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Marc Lock]]<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|title=GCFC Captain Locked In |url=http://goldcoastfc.com.au/news-and-media/news/gcfc-captain-locked-in/page-9/ |publisher=Gold Coast FC |access-date=9 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706104528/http://goldcoastfc.com.au/news-and-media/news/gcfc-captain-locked-in/page-9/ |archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref>
| Queensland
| [[Labrador Australian Football Club|Labrador Tigers]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Steven May]]
| [[Northern Territory]]
| [[Melbourne Grammar School]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Liam Patrick]]<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|title=Gold Coast sign Liam Patrick, Liam Jurrah's cousin, ahead of rookie draft|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26472014-23210,00.html|work=Fox Sports|agency=Australian Associated Press|access-date=9 September 2010}}</ref>
| Northern Territory
| [[Wanderers Football Club|Wanderers Eagles]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Karmichael Hunt]]<ref name="news.com.au"/>
| Queensland
| [[Biarritz Olympique]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Daniel Harris (footballer)|Daniel Harris]]
| [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne Kangaroos]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Michael Coad]]
| [[South Australia]]
| [[Sturt Football Club|Sturt Double Blues]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Sam Iles]]
| [[Tasmania]]
| [[Box Hill Football Club|Box Hill Hawks]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Daniel Stanley|Danny Stanley]]
| Victoria
| [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood Magpies]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Luke Russell]]<ref name="auto4">{{cite news|title=Dockers' young guns sign with Gold Coast|newspaper=ABC News|date=28 July 2009|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/29/2639491.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716034653/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/29/2639491.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 July 2012|publisher=ABC Sport|access-date=9 September 2010}}</ref>
| Tasmania
| [[Burnie Dockers Football Club|Burnie Dockers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Maverick Weller]]<ref name="newtoy">{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/08/22/1250362259794.html|title=Gold Coast will have to wait for new Toy|last=Quayle|first=Emma|date=23 August 2009|publisher=[[Real Footy]]|access-date=2 September 2009}}</ref>
| Tasmania
| [[Burnie Dockers Football Club|Burnie Dockers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Matt Shaw (Australian rules footballer)|Matt Shaw]]<ref name="newtoy"/>
| Victoria
| [[Dandenong Stingrays]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Trent McKenzie]]<ref name="newtoy"/>
| Victoria
| [[Western Jets]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Josh Toy]]<ref name="newtoy"/>
| Victoria
| [[Calder Cannons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Hayden Jolly]]<ref name="auto6">{{cite web |last=Holmesby |first=Luke |title=SA's Jolly joins Gold Coast |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/83420/default.aspx |publisher=AFL |access-date=9 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001043648/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/83420/default.aspx |archive-date=1 October 2009}}</ref>
| South Australia
| [[Glenelg Football Club|Glenelg Tigers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Brandon Matera]]<ref name="ABC_Sport_AFL_12Oct2009_GoldCoastFootballClub_BrandonMatera"/>
| [[Western Australia]]
| [[South Fremantle Football Club|South Fremantle Bulldogs]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Taylor Hine]]<ref name="auto7">{{Cite news|last=Jolly |first=Laura |title=Cannon Hine goes north to Gold Coast |url=http://sunbury-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/cannon-hine-goes-north-to-gold-coast/ |access-date=9 September 2010 |newspaper=Sunbury Leader |date=19 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706113400/http://sunbury-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/cannon-hine-goes-north-to-gold-coast/ |archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref>
| Victoria
| [[Calder Cannons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Piers Flanagan]]<ref name="auto5">{{Cite news|last=Green|first=Bradley|title=Geelong Falcon hand-picked by Gold Coast AFL recruiters|url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/11/23/124381_geelong_sports.html|access-date=9 September 2010|newspaper=Geelong Advertiser|date=23 November 2009}}</ref>
| Victoria
| [[Geelong Falcons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Tom Nicholls]]
| Victoria
| [[Sandringham Dragons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Jack Hutchins (Australian footballer)|Jack Hutchins]]
| Victoria
| [[Sandringham Dragons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Alex Keath]]
| Victoria
| [[Murray Bushrangers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Nathan Bock]]
| South Australia
| [[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide Crows]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Nathan Krakouer]]
| Western Australia
| [[Port Adelaide Football Club|Port Adelaide Power]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Michael Rischitelli]]
| Victoria
| [[Brisbane Lions]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Campbell Brown (footballer)|Campbell Brown]]
| Western Australia
| [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn Hawks]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Jarrod Harbrow]]
| Queensland
| [[Western Bulldogs]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Gary Ablett, Jr.]]
| Victoria
| [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong Cats]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Josh Fraser]]
| Victoria
| [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood Magpies]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Jared Brennan]]
| Northern Territory
| [[Brisbane Lions]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[David Swallow]]<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=West Australian Swallow joins Gold Coast Football Club|date=21 October 2009|url=http://goldcoastfc.com.au/news-and-media/news/west-australian-swallow-joins-gold-coast-football-club/page-2/|publisher=Gold Coast FC|access-date=9 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706104510/http://goldcoastfc.com.au/news-and-media/news/west-australian-swallow-joins-gold-coast-football-club/page-2/|archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref><ref name="2010 draft">{{cite web|title=Gold Coast SUNS outstanding results at the 2010 NAB Draft |date=18 November 2010 |url=http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news-and-media/news/gold-coast-suns-outstanding-results-at-the-2010-nab-draft/ |publisher=Gold Coast FC |access-date=18 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129091217/http://goldcoastfc.com.au/news-and-media/news/gold-coast-suns-outstanding-results-at-the-2010-nab-draft/ |archive-date=29 November 2010}}</ref>
| Western Australia
| [[East Fremantle Football club|East Fremantle Sharks]]
| National Draft (1)
|-
| [[Harley Bennell]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Western Australia
| [[Peel Thunder]]
| National Draft (2)
|-
| [[Sam Day (Australian footballer)|Sam Day]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| South Australia
| [[Sturt Football Club|Sturt Double Blues]]
| National Draft (3)
|-
| [[Josh Caddy]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Northern Knights Football Club|Northern Knights]]
| National Draft (7)
|-
| [[Dion Prestia]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Calder Cannons]]
| National Draft (9)
|-
| [[Daniel Gorringe]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| South Australia
| [[Norwood Football Club|Norwood Redlegs]]
| National Draft (10)
|-
| [[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Dandenong Stingrays]]
| National Draft (11)
|-
| [[Seb Tape]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| South Australia
| [[Glenelg Football Club|Glenelg Tigers]]
| National Draft (13)
|-
| [[Jeremy Taylor (Australian footballer)|Jeremy Taylor]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Geelong Falcons]]
| National Draft (39)
|-
| [[Jacob Gillbee]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Tasmania
| [[Lauderdale Football Club|Lauderdale Bombers]]
| National Draft (49)
|-
| [[Nathan Ablett]]
| | Victoria
| [[Geelong Football Club]]
| Pre Season Draft (1)
|}

===={{anchor|Inaugural AFL team}}Inaugural AFL team====
{{Aussie rules team | title = Inaugural {{AFL GC}} team (round 2, 2011 season)
| backpocket1 = [[Seb Tape]]
| fullback = [[Nathan Bock]]
| backpocket2 = [[Campbell Brown (footballer)|Campbell Brown]]
| halfbackflank1 = [[Jarrod Harbrow]]
| centrehalfback = [[Karmichael Hunt]]
| halfbackflank2 = [[Nathan Krakouer]]
| wing1 = [[Trent McKenzie]]
| centre = [[Daniel Harris (footballer)|Daniel Harris]]
| wing2 = [[Michael Rischitelli]]
| halfforwardflank1 = [[Danny Stanley]]
| centrehalfforward = [[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]]
| halfforwardflank2 = [[Alik Magin]]
| forwardpocket1 = [[Jared Brennan]]
| fullforward = [[Zac Smith]]
| forwardpocket2 = [[Brandon Matera]]
| ruck = [[Josh Fraser]]
| ruckrover = [[David Swallow]]
| rover = [[Gary Ablett, Jr.|Gary Ablett]] ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|c]])
| interchange1 = [[Marc Lock]]
| interchange2 = [[Harley Bennell]]
| interchange3 = [[Dion Prestia]]
| interchange4 = [[Josh Toy]]
| interchange5 =
| interchange6 =
| coach = [[Guy McKenna]]<ref name="first team">{{cite news
 |url         = http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/110531/default.aspx
 |title       = Suns unveil first team
 |date        = 31 March 2011
 |work        = AFL BigPond Network
 |access-date  = 31 March 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110401205413/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/110531/default.aspx
 |archive-date = 1 April 2011}}</ref>
}}

===2011–2014: McKenna era===
{{Further|2011 Gold Coast Football Club season}} {{Further|2012 Gold Coast Football Club season}}
[[File:Guy_McKenna.jpg|thumb|AFL Hall of Fame legend [[Guy McKenna]], inaugural coach]]
[[Guy McKenna]] would continue to coach the team throughout the 2011 season and beyond, after successfully guiding the club through its journey in the TAC Cup and VFL in 2009 and 2010. The Suns would play their first four "home" games of the [[2011 AFL season]] at [[the Gabba]] in [[Brisbane]], while their home stadium ([[Metricon Stadium]]) underwent final redevelopment works.

[[File:Michael Rischitelli 2019.5.jpg|thumb|170px|[[Michael Rischitelli]] was instrumental in the club's first winning game with 31 disposals and 2 goals against {{AFL|PA}} at [[Football Park|AAMI Stadium]] in Round 5 of the [[2011 AFL season|2011 season]].]]
Gold Coast had a bye in Round 1, and played its first AFL game debuted in Round 2 on 2 April 2011 against Carlton at [[the Gabba]] in front of a crowd of 27,914. The first five goals were scored by Carlton, before [[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]] scored the first-ever goal for the Gold Coast Suns. Carlton went on to win by 119 points. Gold Coast won its first game in Round 5 on 23 April 2011, defeating Port Adelaide at [[AAMI Stadium]]. Gold Coast trailed by 40 points late in the third quarter, before coming back to win by three points, after Port Adelaide's [[Justin Westhoff]] missed a set shot after the siren.<ref name="ABC - GrandStand - 23 Apr 2011 - CG v PA">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/afl/news/|title=2011 AFL Season - 2011 AFL Season Port Adelaide vs. Gold Coast|work=[[ABC Radio Grandstand]]|access-date=23 April 2011}}</ref> [[Michael Rischitelli]] was the best on ground. Gold Coast won two more matches for the season, winning the inaugural [[QClash]] against {{AFL BL}} in Round 7 by eight points (which became the most-watched AFL match on pay television ever),<ref name="auto3">[https://web.archive.org/web/20110512135959/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/113420/default.aspx QClash sets TV record] - afl.com.au. Published 9 May 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.</ref> and defeating {{AFL Ric}} by 15 points in Round 17 in the first AFL match ever played at [[Cazaly's Stadium]] in [[Cairns, Queensland|Cairns]]. However, the Suns also suffered several more very heavy defeats during the year, including a 139-point loss to {{AFL Ess}} in Round 6 – in which Essendon scored a record 15.4 (94) in the first quarter – and a 150-point loss against {{AFL Gee}} in Round 20. The Suns went on to win the [[Wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoon]].

Gold Coast endured a poor pre-season in 2012 which included a 13-point loss to fellow AFL newcomers {{AFL GWS}}. Their solitary win in that time was a narrow win over {{AFL Mel}} in the triangular round of the [[2012 NAB Cup]].

The home-and-away season did not begin well for the Suns either, losing their first fourteen matches in succession to be the only winless team after Round 15 of the [[2012 AFL season]]. Among the losses included losses by more than ninety points to {{AFL Col}} and {{AFL Stk}} (twice), seven-point losses to {{AFL Fre}} and {{AFL NM}} at home and a 27-point loss to the newest AFL franchise, {{AFL GWS}}. Their fourteen losses to start the season was the worst by any team since {{AFL Fre}} lost its first 17 matches of the [[2001 AFL season|2001 season]]. Their horror start to the season ended in round 16 with a narrow 2-point win against Richmond. They had a lead of up to 36 points halfway through the second quarter, which then shrank to 24 points after 2 quick goals before half time from Richmond. Richmond then had a six to two goal quarter, snatching the lead back. The lead then went to 18 points Richmond's way before Gold Coast snatched it back to just 4. With 5 seconds left, a kick from the right forward pocket in Gold Coast's 50 was marked by Karmichael Hunt. After the siren sounded he kicked the goal to make Gold Coast 2-point winners.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-sport/hunt-goal-clinches-suns-win-over-tigers-20120714-222y8.html | title =Hunt goal clinches Suns' win over Tigers |date= 14 July 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Gary Ablett 2017.2.jpg|thumb|left|170px|[[Gary Ablett Jr.|Gary Ablett Jr]] was Gold Coast's inaugural marquee player and captain]]
The Suns then won two more matches for the season, a 30-point win against {{AFL GWS}} in Round 20 and a 12-point upset win over {{AFL Car}} in Round 22, both at home. The team finished 17th at the end of the season, only above Greater Western Sydney on the AFL ladder. In November 2012 the club announced their "20-ONE-3" plan that targeted signing twenty thousand members and winning a premiership within three years - by the conclusion of the 2015 AFL season. The plan was criticised as being overly ambitious.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-gold-coast-suns-declare-they-will-win-the-flag-and-have-20000-members-by-2015/story-e6frf9io-1226522746571 | title =The Gold Coast Suns declare they will win the flag and have 20,000 members by 2015 |date= 23 November 2012}}</ref> By the end of the 20-ONE-3 period, the Suns had a highest membership of 13,643 (achieved in 2015) and a highest ladder position of 12 (10 wins - achieved in 2014).

In the [[2013 AFL season]] Gold Coast improved, highlighted by a victory over eventual finalist [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]]. Their improvement on the past two seasons was so stark that they were considered possibilities of securing an unlikely finals berth .<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-06-24/suns-coasting- | title = Are the Suns coasting into the finals? | date = 24 June 2013}}</ref> The Suns finished with 8 wins for the season and ended the season placed 14th on the ladder. Captain [[Gary Ablett Jnr|Gary Ablett]] won his second [[Brownlow Medal]], the first such medalist to win the award at the club.

Despite losing veterans [[Jared Brennan]] and [[Campbell Brown (footballer)|Campbell Brown]] ahead of the [[2014 AFL season|2014 season]], some experts predicted Gold Coast to "give the top 8 (finals) a nudge",<ref>[http://au.sports.yahoo.com/afl/news/article/-/21889322/2014-afl-preview-mark-stevens-takes-a-look-at-gold-coast-suns/ Stevo's AFL season preview: Gold Coast: 13th place]</ref> though the general consensus was that the Suns would likely finish around 13th.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2014/03/10/gold-coast-suns-2014-season-preview/ |title=Gold Coast Suns 2014 season preview (Sports News First) |access-date=16 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316033543/http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2014/03/10/gold-coast-suns-2014-season-preview/ |archive-date=16 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Though beginning the season promisingly and entering Round 11 with a 7–2 record following impressive wins on the road against Melbourne, North Melbourne (who had defeated minor premiers {{AFL Syd}} three weeks earlier), and St Kilda, the Suns would stumble severely through the second half of the season. After captain Gary Ablett was injured in a win over Collingwood in round 16, the club went on to lose the next two matches, including one in the [[QClash]] against Brisbane. In round 19, the club recorded its inaugural win without their captain, defeating St Kilda. The club went on to lose the remaining matches of the season, finishing in 12th. Inaugural coach [[Guy McKenna]] was sacked at season's end, leaving the club after 88 games in charge and winning just over 25% of them.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/gold-coast-sacks-guy-mckenna-as-speculation-mounts-club-will-make-play-for-essendons-mark-thompson/story-fndv8hfz-1227075696214?from=public_rss Gold Coast sacks Guy McKenna as speculation mounts club will make play for Essendon's Mark Thompson], ''News.com.au'', 1 October 2014</ref>

===2015&ndash;2017: Rodney Eade===
Following McKenna's departure, the Suns announced [[Rodney Eade]] as their new coach. Eade had coached the [[Sydney Swans]] and [[Western Bulldogs]] to multiple finals series and was regarded by some pundits as a good choice to push the Suns into a maiden finals campaign.{{CN|date=April 2025}} In his first season, Eade made the decision to rush back [[Gary Ablett Jr.|Gary Ablett Jr]] into the side, which led to the on-field targeting of the star midfielder, while key position players [[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]] and [[Harley Bennell]] were traded to other clubs as the Suns lost their opening four games and never recovered, finishing the [[2015 AFL season|2015 season]] in 16th place with only four wins.{{CN|date=April 2025}} The club started the [[2016 AFL season|2016 season]] with three consecutive wins and defeated minor premiers {{AFL Fre}}, giving the impression it was on the verge of achieving sustained on-field success.{{CN|date=April 2025}} However it would only win a further three matches for the season and Ablett was again sidelined with a serious shoulder injury, while other players were lost to a combination of injury and suspension.{{CN|date=April 2025}} The Suns hit the mid-to-late stage of the following season in reasonable form with a 6–8 win–loss record, though disastrously lost their last eight matches and finished in 15th place.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zerohanger.com/2018-season-preview-gold-coast-suns-17646/|work=Zero Hangar|date=1 March 2020|title=2018 Season Preview: Gold Coast Suns}}</ref> Divisions between some of the players and Eade's cautious game-style emerged and by Round 19 club officials sacked Eade, citing a poor win–loss record.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/rodney-eade-sacked-by-gold-coast-suns-in-afl/8784344|title=Rodney Eade sacked by Gold Coast Suns as AFL coach|date=8 August 2017|work=ABC News}}</ref> Eade's departure was exacerbated at the end of the season by Ablett's request to be traded back to his original club {{AFL Gee}}, despite having another year to serve on his contract with the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/rodney-eades-appointment-at-gold-coast-cursed-from-the-start-20170808-gxs0rd.html|title=Rodney Eade's appointment at Gold Coast cursed from the start|work=The Age|date=8 August 2017|first=Caroline |last=Wilson}}</ref>

===2018&ndash;2023: Stuart Dew===
The club appointed {{AFL PA}} and {{AFL Haw}} premiership player [[Stuart Dew]] as coach ahead of the 2018 season. Under Dew, the Suns adopted a [[AFL Draft|draft]] strategy of recruiting young players, which in part contributed to a second-last finish in 2018 and last place finish in 2019, the latter being the club's second [[List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons|wooden spoon]]. [[David Swallow]] was appointed captain in 2019 and emerging talent such as [[Izak Rankine]] and [[Matt Rowell]] showed signs of propelling the club to better results in the future, though Rankine left the club in 2022 to play with {{AFL Ade}}. Following their best win-loss record in 2022 (10 wins for a 12th-placed finish), the club stagnated on the field in 2023 and again failed to make finals. On 11 July 2023, Suns officials announced that Stuart Dew would no longer be the coach after two consecutive losses to [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] and [[Port Adelaide Football Club|Port Adelaide]] that eliminated them from finals contention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/11/afl-gold-coast-suns-sack-coach-stuart-dew-damien-hardwick-likely|title=Gold Coast Suns sack coach Stewart Dew with move for Damien Hardwick likely|work=The Guardian|date=11 July 2023}}</ref> Dew finished with 30.17% winning record over six seasons with the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Stuart_Dew.html|title=Stewart Dew|work=AFL Tables}}</ref> [[Steven King (footballer)|Steven King]] was appointed interim coach for the remainder of the season.

===2024 and beyond: Damien Hardwick===
On 21 August 2023, the club announced that three-time {{AFL Ric}} premiership coach [[Damien Hardwick]] had signed on as coach of the senior team for six years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-21/damien-hardwick-coach-gold-coast-suns-six-year-deal/102754254|title=Damien Hardwick joins Gold Coast Suns as head coach on six-year deal|work=ABC News|date=21 August 2023}}</ref> In round 10 of the 2024 AFL season the Suns recorded their highest ever total to date, with 26 goals and 8 behinds, amassing a total score of 164 in a 64-point victory over Geelong.

On 15 November 2024, ahead of the 2025 season, the club unveiled a new logo and guernsey, marking the first major brand change in the clubs history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1693218/introducing-fearless |title=Introducing FEARLESS |date=14 November 2024 }}</ref> Centred around the tagline "Fearless",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/fearless |title=Official AFL Website of the Gold Coast SUNS |date=14 November 2024 }}</ref> the updated home guernsey features the new logo in deep red on a red base, and the clash kit shows off the oceanic blue logo on a sunburnt gold base. The new branding was met with backlash from fans and critics, stating that the red on red guernsey was a strange choice, and the clash guernsey "looked awful". The logo itself features the sun rising over the ocean inside a football. The football shape is cut to represent the letters 'G', 'C' and 'S' for Gold Coast Suns. The word "SUNS" appears under the logo in a custom font. The logo can be seen in the clubs 3 colours, deep red, sunburnt gold and oceanic blue.

==Stadium==
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Carrara Stadium
| nickname = 
| image = [[File:Adelaide v Gold Coast - Carrara crowd.jpg|250px]]
| location = [[Nerang–Broadbeach Road]],<br />[[Carrara, Queensland|Carrara]], [[Queensland, Australia|Queensland]],<br />[[Australia]], 4211
| opened = 1987
| renovated = 2010–11
| owner = [[Queensland Government]]
| operator = Stadiums Queensland
| architect = [[Populous (company)|Populous]] (2010)
| seating_capacity = 25,000 (23,500 seats)
| dimensions = 171 x 144&nbsp;metres
}}
{{Main|Carrara Stadium}}

Gold Coast began playing at Carrara Stadium in their foundation year of 2009. Although the ground had existed since 1987, the Gold Coast Football Club's establishment in late 2008 prompted the club to use the stadium as their home ground during the [[2009 TAC Cup]]. The ground opened in 1987 and was used by the [[Brisbane Bears]] for the first six years of existence and was later used by the [[North Melbourne Kangaroos]] and several professional [[Rugby league]] teams.

The insufficient and outdated facilities at Carrara Stadium led to the [[Australian Football League]] investigating several stadium options for the Gold Coast's inaugural AFL season in 2011. A new $172 million stadium in [[Helensvale, Queensland|Helensvale]] was a strongly considered option.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chambers|first=Geoff|title=D-day vote on $2 billion city projects|url=http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/09/04/15858_gold-coast-feature.html|newspaper=goldcoast.com.au|date=4 September 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Chambers|first=Geoff|title=Council will chip in $10m transit centre cash for Aussie rules site|url=http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/09/05/15906_gold-coast-top-story.html|newspaper=goldcoast.com.au|date=5 September 2008}}</ref> The AFL eventually brokered a deal with the [[Gold Coast City Council]] and the [[Queensland Government]] to redevelop Carrara Stadium. The $144.2 million upgrade would increase the stadium capacity to 25,000.

Construction for the redevelopment of Carrara Stadium began in December 2009 and the Gold Coast was required to find a new home ground for the [[2010 VFL season]]. The team shared their games among local grounds [[Fankhauser Reserve]], [[H & A Oval]] and [[Cooke-Murphy Oval]]. The redevelopment ran into the [[2011 AFL season]] and the Gold Coast were again required to find a temporary home ground. The Suns elected to use [[the Gabba]] for their first three home games of the 2011 season.

The redeveloped Carrara Stadium (commercially known as Metricon Stadium) was officially opened on 22 May 2011 by [[Queensland Premier]] [[Anna Bligh]]. Six days later, the Gold Coast Suns hosted their first home match at the redeveloped Carrara Stadium against the Geelong Cats. Two months later, the Suns attracted the largest crowd ever at the Carrara Stadium in a game against Collingwood that attracted an attendance of 23,302, a record was broken in round 16 of 2014 when 24,032 also attended against Collingwood.

The [[seating capacity]] was temporarily upgraded to 40,000 as part of the Gold Coast's successful bid to host the [[2018 Commonwealth Games]].

While the Suns have played most of their home games at Metricon Stadium, there have been several times when the club has played home games away from Carrara. In 2011, the club had to find a temporary home ground as the redevelopment ran into the [[2011 AFL season]]. The Suns elected to use [[the Gabba]] for their first three home games of the 2011 season. The Gabba was again used in [[2018 AFL season]] as Carrara was being prepared for the [[2018 Commonwealth Games]]. In that season, they also played a home game in Cairns at [[Cazaly's Stadium]], Perth at [[Optus Stadium]] and played the second of their home games in [[Shanghai]] at [[Jiangwan Stadium]]. This was following the club hosting the first-ever AFL game outside Australia or New Zealand in 2017 in Shanghai.

The club took a home game to their academy zone, [[Townsville]] at [[Riverway Stadium]] in 2019 before signing a deal with [[AFL NMthern Territory]] to play a home game in their new academy zone [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] at [[TIO Stadium]] from 2020 to 2024. The match scheduled for Darwin in 2021 was moved however due to COVID-19 and was played as a Suns home game at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]]. In late June, all 18 AFL clubs relocated to Victoria due to various lockdowns due to COVID-19. This resulted in many games being relocated including a Thursday night home game from Metricon Stadium to [[Marvel Stadium]]. [[Brisbane Lions]] 'hosted' a game at Metricon Stadium against [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]] as Greater Brisbane was still considered a red zone under Victorian COVID rules.

List of AFL Stadiums
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Location
! Stadium
! Capacity
! Year
!Games
|-
| [[Carrara, Queensland|Carrara]]
| [[Carrara Stadium|People First Stadium]]
| 25,000
| 2011–Present
| align=left|103
|-
| [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]]
| [[Marrara Oval|TIO Stadium]]
| 12,500
| 2020–Present
| align=left|1
|-
| [[Brisbane]]
| [[The Gabba]]
| 42,000
| 2011, 2018
| align=left|4
|-
| [[Cairns]]
| [[Cazaly's Stadium]]
| 13,500
| 2018
| align=left|1
|-
|[[Shanghai]]
|[[Jiangwan Stadium]]
|11,000
|2017-2018
| align=left|2
|-
|[[Townsville]]
|[[Riverway Stadium]]
|10,000
|2019
| align=left|1
|-
|[[Perth]]
|[[Optus Stadium]]
|60,000
|2018
| align=left|1
|-
|[[Sydney]]
|[[Sydney Cricket Ground]]
|48,000
|2021
| align=left|1
|-
|[[Melbourne]]
|[[Marvel Stadium]]
|53,359
|2021
| align=left|1
|}

Other home grounds used for the Suns include:
AFL Pre Season: Fankhauser Reserve (2011, 2013, 2018), Riverway Stadium (2015, 2018), Merrimac Oval (2017), Great Barrier Reef Arena (2017, 2019)
AFL Women's: Heritage Bank Stadium (2020–2021), Great Barrier Reef Arena (2020)

==Corporate==

===Governance===
The [[AFL Commission]] owns a majority stake in the club and elects seven of the nine members of its board with the two remaining being elected by the club members.

===Membership base and sponsors===

{| border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"  style="text-align:center; font-size:90%; border-collapse:collapse; width:80%;"
|- style="background:#C1D8FF;"
! Year !! style="width:7%;"| Members !! style="width:13%;"| Change from previous season !! Finishing position !! Average home crowd<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/crowds/goldcoast.html|title=AFL Tables - Gold Coast - Crowds|website=afltables.com}}</ref>!! style="width:13%;"| Profit (Loss) !! Kit manufacturer !! Major sponsor/s !! Shorts sponsor !! Bottom rear sponsor !! Top rear sponsor
|-
|[[2011 AFL season|2011]] || 14,064 || N/A || 17th || '''19,169''' || Undisclosed profit<ref>[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/afl-is-done-pinching-rugby-league-players-demetriou/story-e6frexnr-1226291160830 Afl Is Done Pinching Rugby League Players Demetriou] ''The Daily Telegraph'' {{dead link|date=April 2023}}</ref> || rowspan="2" | [[Reebok]] || rowspan="3" | [[Hostplus]] (Home) <br /> [[Virgin Australia]] (Away) || REED || rowspan="3" | [[Virgin Australia]] (Home) <br /> [[Hostplus]] (Away) || rowspan="11" {{N/A}}
|-
|[[2012 AFL season|2012]] || 11,204 || {{decrease}} 2,860 ||17th|| 13,645 || ($1,401,168)<ref name="footyindustry.com">{{Cite web|url=http://footyindustry.com/files/2013Reports/AFL%20Clubs/Gold%20Coast%202013%20Annual%20report.pdf|title=Gold Coast Football Club 2013 Annual Report|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> || rowspan="2" {{N/A}}
|-
|[[2013 AFL season|2013]] || 12,502 || {{increase}} 1,298 || 14th || 13,907 || $62,533<ref name="footyindustry.com"/> || rowspan="2" | [[2XU]]
|-
|[[2014 AFL season|2014]] || 13,478 || {{increase}} 976 || '''12th''' || 16,092 || $1,062,082<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?cid=395A8745E8BE90C8&resid=395A8745E8BE90C8!3598&app=WordPdf&authkey=!AF0UPeGzO34U22I|title=Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online.|website=onedrive.live.com}}</ref> || rowspan="3" | [[Hostplus]] (Home) <br /> [[Fiat|Fiat Automobiles]] (Away) || Crust Pizza || rowspan="3" | [[Fiat|Fiat Automobiles]] (Home) <br /> [[Hostplus]] (Away)
|-
|[[2015 AFL season|2015]] || 13,643 || {{increase}} 165 || 16th || 12,360 || ($330,870)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://footyindustry.com/files/2015%20Reports/Gold%20Coast%20Football%20Club%20Limited%202015%20Annual%20Report.pdf|title=Gold Coast Football Club 2015 Annual Report|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> || rowspan="2" | [[BLK (sportswear)|BLK]] || Solar Australia
|-
|[[2016 AFL season|2016]] || 12,854 || {{decrease}} 789 || 15th || 11,561 || ('''$2,941,965''') || rowspan="10" | Austworld
|-
|[[2017 AFL season|2017]] || 11,665 || {{decrease}} 1,189 || 17th || 13,663 || $19,219<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://footyindustry.com/files/2017%20Annual%20Reports/Gold%20Coast%202017%20Annual%20Report.pdf|title=Gold Coast Football Club 2017 Annual Report|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> || rowspan="3" | [[XBlades]] || [[Hostplus]] || [[Hostplus]]
|-
|[[2018 AFL season|2018]] |||{{center|12,108}}  ||{{increase}} 443 ||17th || 13,547 || '''$1,160,912'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://footyindustry.com/files/2018%20reports/Gold%20Coast%202018%20Annual%20Report.pdf|title=Gold Coast Football Club 2018 Annual Report|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> || rowspan="5" | [[Hostplus]] (Home) <br /> [[Cover-More]] (Away) || rowspan="5" | [[Cover-More]] (Home) <br /> [[Hostplus]] (Away)
|-
|[[2019 AFL season|2019]] || 13,649 ||{{increase}} 1,541 || 18th || 11,417 || $248,795<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fsport%2Fafl%2Fafl-pumped-record-275m-into-gold-coast-suns-in-2019%2Fnews-story%2F9843a9e949d6f82d8aea5bbd7b1b1cf6&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=74894511a4d33f0e9e7e6a007332cc6c-1611275062|title=Subscribe to The Australian &#124; Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps|website=The Australian}}</ref>
|-
|[[2020 AFL season|2020]]* || 16,236 || {{increase}} 2,587 || 14th ||2,632
| ($953,442)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/861698/gold-coast-suns-announce-2020-financial-result|title=Gold Coast SUNS Announce 2020 Financial Result|website=Suns Media|date=12 February 2021 }}</ref> || [[ISC (sportswear)|ISC]]
|-
|[[2021 AFL season|2021]]* || 19,460 || {{increase}} '''3,224''' || 16th ||6,903
| ($276,219)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1061666/2021-financial-result|title=Gold Coast SUNS - 2021 Financial Result|website=Suns Media|date=17 February 2022 }}</ref> || rowspan="5"| [[New Balance]]
|-
|[[2022 AFL season|2022]] || 21,422 || {{increase}} 1,962 || '''12th''' ||11,298
| ($2,600,000)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1261399/suns-announce-2022-financial-result#:~:text=The%20club%20will%20report%20an,on%20behalf%20of%20the%20AFL.|title=SUNS announce 2022 financial result|website=Gold Coast Suns|date=12 January 2023 }}</ref> || rowspan="3" | Knotwood
|-
|[[2023 AFL season|2023]] || 23,359 || {{increase}} 1,937 || 15th ||13,733
| ($1,700,000)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1478799/2023-gc-suns-financial-result|title=2023 GC SUNS FINANCIAL RESULT|website=Gold Coast Suns|date=18 December 2023 }}</ref> ||  rowspan="3" | [[Hostplus]] (Home) <br /> [[Sixt]] (Away) ||  rowspan="3" | [[Sixt]] (Home) <br /> [[Hostplus]] (Away)
|-
|[[2024 AFL season|2024]] || '''26,157'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1644875/suns-set-new-membership-record-in-2024#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20record%2Dbreaking,or%20%2470%20for%20full%20access.|title=SUNS set new membership record in 2024|website=Gold Coast Suns|date=2 September 2024 }}</ref> || {{increase}} 2,798 || 13th ||15,063
| TBC
|-
|[[2025 AFL season|2025]] || || || || || || [[Zambrero]]
|}
Notes: <small>*Crowd restrictions due to the [[COVID-19 Pandemic]] were in place for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.</small>

==Club symbols==

===Guernseys===
The guernseys currently worn by the Suns are:

*Home & Away guernsey (debuts in Opening Round [[2025 AFL season|2025]]): Red based guernsey with the club logo in the middle. [[Hostplus]] sponsor on front and [[Sixt]] sponsor on back.
*Clash guernsey (debuts in 2025): Gold based guernsey with the club logo in the middle, coloured blue. Sixt sponsor on front and Hostplus sponsor on back.
*Pink guernsey (debuts in [[Gather Round]] 2025): Similar to the clash guernsey but based in pink guernsey with charcoal-coloured logo, highlights and shorts.

===Mascot===
The Suns' [[Mascot Manor]] representative and club mascot is "Sunny Ray". In June 2018 the Suns introduced their new mascot, "Skye".{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

===Song===
The [[List of Australian Football League team songs|team song]] is "Suns of the Gold Coast Sky".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/754707/we-are-the-gold-coast-suns|title=We are the Gold Coast SUNS!|website=goldcoastfc.com.au|date=23 July 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/club/suns-song| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130118064128/http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/club/suns-song| archive-date = 2013-01-18| title = SUNS Song - GOLDCOASTFC.com.au/}}</ref>

===Home ground and training and administrative base===
The club's primary home ground is [[Carrara Stadium]] (known for commercial purposes as "People First Stadium"), where they play home matches and train outdoors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/769610/metricon-stadium|title=Metricon Stadium|date=15 March 2011|access-date=26 November 2022}}</ref> The club's indoor training and administrative facilities are located at the adjacent [[Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/71467/suns-unveil-elite-training-administration-base|title=SUNS unveil Elite Training & Administration Base|date=9 February 2017|access-date=26 November 2022}}</ref>

==Rivalries==

===Brisbane Lions===
{{main|QClash}}
The Gold Coast Suns have a local rivalry with fellow Queensland AFL team the [[Brisbane Lions]]. The two teams contest the "QClash" twice each season. The first QClash was held in [[2011 AFL season|2011]], with Gold Coast winning by 8 points; the game established the highest [[Foxtel|pay TV]] audience ever for an AFL game, with a total of 354,745 viewers watching the game.<ref name="auto3"/>

The medal for the player adjudged [[Man of the match#Australian rules football|best on ground]] is known as the [[Marcus Ashcroft Medal]]. It is named after former footballer [[Marcus Ashcroft]], who played junior football on the Gold Coast for [[Southport Sharks|Southport]] and 318 VFL/AFL games for the Brisbane Bears/Lions between 1989 and 2003. He later joined Gold Coast's coaching staff and was the first Queenslander to play 300 VFL/AFL games.<ref>[https://archive.today/20121230150842/http://www.lions.com.au/tabid/5085/default.aspx?newsid=112838 QClash 1: Marcus Ashcroft Medal announced] (1 May 2011)</ref> Sun [[Touk Miller]] has won the medal four times, the most by any player.

The trophy awarded to the winner of the game is currently known as the "QClash Trophy". The trophy is a traditional-looking silver cup with a wooden base and a plaque. The plaque's inscription reads from left to right, "Brisbane Lions AFC, QCLASH, Gold Coast Suns FC".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/lions-star-jonathan-brown-issues-rallying-cry-ahead-of-qclash/story-e6frepf6-1226334726023 |title=Lions star Jonathan Brown issues rallying cry ahead of QClash |author1=Greg Davis |author2=Andrew Hamilton |work=The Courier-Mail |date=21 April 2012}}</ref>

==Administration==
A three-man committee of former [[Brisbane Lions]] chairman Graham Downie, [[Southport Sharks]] director Alan Mackenzie and lawyer and community leader John Witheriff established the club's administration.<ref name="Silence"/> As part of the AFL bid criteria, the GC17 consortium required a commitment from 20,000 locals to become football club members, a $5 million net asset base and 111 sponsors (at least one major, 10 secondary level and 100 tertiary) by mid-October 2008.<ref name=Positive>Barrett, D (22 May 2008). [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23738002-19742,00.html Gold Coast positive it can snare 17th AFL licence]; ''[[Herald Sun]]'' Retrieved on 5 September 2008</ref>

==Recruitment==
[[File:9 Gary Ablett 2.png|thumb|[[Gary Ablett, Jr.|Gary Ablett]] (no. 9) was Gold Coast's marquee player and captain]]
In the leadup to the [[2009 AFL Draft]], the AFL allowed the Gold Coast to recruit 12 players born between January and April 1992, with all other AFL clubs being restricted to players born in 1991 or earlier.

[[Karmichael Hunt]], a professional [[rugby league]] footballer with the [[Brisbane Broncos]] and [[rugby union]] side [[Biarritz Olympique]] in France's [[Top 14]], signed a deal reportedly worth $3.2 million<ref>[https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/time-to-show-if-hunt-has-what-it-takes-20100611-y3mz.html Time to show if Hunt has what it takes] By Jon Pierik for The Age 12 June 2010</ref> to swap codes and play for the Gold Coast from 2010.<ref name="news.com.au">{{Cite web|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/karmichael-hunt-deal-salary-cap-free-for-gold-coast-fc/story-fna7dq6e-1225756093905|title=Karmichael Hunt deal salary cap free for Gold Coast FC|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref>

[[Gary Ablett, Jr.]], dual premiership player with Geelong and winner of the [[2009 Brownlow Medal]], signed a deal reportedly worth $9.6 million over five years to captain the Gold Coast during their starting years.<ref>{{cite news|last=Walsh|first=Courtney|title=Ablett leaves Geelong for Gold Coast|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/ablett-leaves-geelong-for-gold-coast/story-e6frg7mf-1225931717361|access-date=20 October 2010|newspaper=The Australian|date=29 September 2010}}</ref>

Other significant signings to the junior team that played in the [[VFL]] included [[Stanis Susuve]] (a member of [[Papua New Guinea]]'s [[Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team|International Cup winning team]]) and [[Brandon Matera]] (whose father [[Wally Matera]] and uncles [[Peter Matera|Peter]] and [[Phil Matera|Phil]] all played senior AFL football with the West Coast Eagles).<ref name="ABC_Sport_AFL_12Oct2009_GoldCoastFootballClub_BrandonMatera">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/12/2711475.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231075611/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/12/2711475.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 December 2012|title=Eagles blood in new GCFC recruit|newspaper=ABC News|date=12 October 2009|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=16 October 2009}}</ref>

At the end of 2010 season, the club had been given the following concessions:<ref>{{cite web|title=Gold Coast's draft rules explained |url=http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=76855 |publisher=AFL |access-date=9 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001185652/http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=76855 |archive-date=1 October 2012}}</ref>
* The ability to sign one uncontracted player from each of the 16 AFL clubs
* Zoned access to five Queensland players prior to the AFL draft
* The first pick in every round plus additional first round picks at Numbers 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 and 15 of the 2010 AFL Draft
* The capacity to pre-list 10 players who had previously nominated for the AFL Draft, or were previously listed with an AFL club
* The first five selections of the Rookie Draft
* An expanded main list of 48 players (clubs are usually allowed 38)

===Initial 2011 playing squad recruitment===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="4"|2011 Playing Squad
|-  style="background:#c1d8ff; text-align:center;"
| '''Name'''
| '''State'''
| '''Recruited From'''
| '''Selection Type'''
|-
| [[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]]
| [[Queensland]]
| [[Redland Australian Football Club|Redland Bombers]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Rex Liddy]]
| Queensland
| [[Kenmore Australian Football Club|Kenmore Bears]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Lewis Moss]]
| Queensland
| [[Port Douglas AFC|Port Douglas Crocs]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Zac Smith]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Jack Stanlake]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Joel Wilkinson]]
| Queensland
| [[Broadbeach Australian Football Club|Broadbeach Cats]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Joseph Daye]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Rory Thompson]]
| Queensland
| [[Southport Australian Football Club|Southport Sharks]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Tom Hickey (footballer born 1991)|Tom Hickey]]
| Queensland
| [[Morningside Australian Football Club|Morningside Panthers]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Marc Lock]]<ref name="auto2"/>
| Queensland
| [[Labrador Australian Football Club|Labrador Tigers]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Steven May]]
| [[Northern Territory]]
| [[Melbourne Grammar School]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Liam Patrick]]<ref name="auto1"/>
| Northern Territory
| [[Wanderers Football Club|Wanderers Eagles]]
| Zone Selection
|-
| [[Karmichael Hunt]]<ref name="news.com.au"/>
| Queensland
| N/A
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Daniel Harris (footballer)|Daniel Harris]]
| [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne Kangaroos]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Michael Coad]]
| [[South Australia]]
| [[Sturt Football Club|Sturt Double Blues]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Sam Iles]]
| [[Tasmania]]
| [[Box Hill Football Club|Box Hill Hawks]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Daniel Stanley|Danny Stanley]]
| Victoria
| [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood Magpies]]
| Rookie Promotion
|-
| [[Luke Russell]]<ref name="auto4"/>
| Tasmania
| [[Burnie Dockers Football Club|Burnie Dockers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Maverick Weller]]<ref name="newtoy"/>
| Tasmania
| [[Burnie Dockers Football Club|Burnie Dockers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Matt Shaw (Australian rules footballer)|Matt Shaw]]<ref name="newtoy"/>
| Victoria
| [[Dandenong Stingrays]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Trent McKenzie]]<ref name="newtoy"/>
| Victoria
| [[Western Jets]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Josh Toy]]<ref name="newtoy"/>
| Victoria
| [[Calder Cannons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Hayden Jolly]]<ref name="auto6"/>
| South Australia
| [[Glenelg Football Club|Glenelg Tigers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Brandon Matera]]<ref name="ABC_Sport_AFL_12Oct2009_GoldCoastFootballClub_BrandonMatera"/>
| [[Western Australia]]
| [[South Fremantle Football Club|South Fremantle Bulldogs]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Taylor Hine]]<ref name="auto7"/>
| Victoria
| [[Calder Cannons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Piers Flanagan]]<ref name="auto5"/>
| Victoria
| [[Geelong Falcons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Tom Nicholls]]
| Victoria
| [[Sandringham Dragons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Jack Hutchins (Australian footballer)|Jack Hutchins]]
| Victoria
| [[Sandringham Dragons]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Alex Keath]]
| Victoria
| [[Murray Bushrangers]]
| Underage
|-
| [[Nathan Bock]]
| South Australia
| [[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide Crows]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Nathan Krakouer]]
| Western Australia
| [[Port Adelaide Football Club|Port Adelaide Power]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Michael Rischitelli]]
| Victoria
| [[Brisbane Lions]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Campbell Brown (footballer)|Campbell Brown]]
| Western Australia
| [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn Hawks]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Jarrod Harbrow]]
| Queensland
| [[Western Bulldogs]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Gary Ablett, Jr.]]
| Victoria
| [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong Cats]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Josh Fraser]]
| Victoria
| [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood Magpies]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[Jared Brennan]]
| Northern Territory
| [[Brisbane Lions]]
| Uncontracted
|-
| [[David Swallow]]<ref name="auto"/><ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Western Australia
| [[East Fremantle Football club|East Fremantle Sharks]]
| National Draft (1)
|-
| [[Harley Bennell]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Western Australia
| [[Peel Thunder]]
| National Draft (2)
|-
| [[Sam Day (Australian footballer)|Sam Day]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| South Australia
| [[Sturt Football Club|Sturt Double Blues]]
| National Draft (3)
|-
| [[Josh Caddy]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Northern Knights Football Club|Northern Knights]]
| National Draft (7)
|-
| [[Dion Prestia]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Calder Cannons]]
| National Draft (9)
|-
| [[Daniel Gorringe]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| South Australia
| [[Norwood Football Club|Norwood Redlegs]]
| National Draft (10)
|-
| [[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Dandenong Stingrays]]
| National Draft (11)
|-
| [[Seb Tape]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| South Australia
| [[Glenelg Football Club|Glenelg Tigers]]
| National Draft (13)
|-
| [[Jeremy Taylor (Australian footballer)|Jeremy Taylor]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Victoria
| [[Geelong Falcons]]
| National Draft (39)
|-
| [[Jacob Gillbee]]<ref name="2010 draft"/>
| Tasmania
| [[Lauderdale Football Club|Lauderdale Bombers]]
| National Draft (49)
|-
| [[Nathan Ablett]]
| | Victoria
| [[Geelong Football Club]]
| Pre Season Draft (1)
|}

==Current squad==
{{Gold Coast Suns current squad}}

==Coaching staff==
* '''Head coach:''' 
:* [[Damien Hardwick]]

* '''Assistant coaches:'''
:* [[Josh Drummond]] Defence and Tackling Coach
:* [[Tate Kaesler]] Team Defence and VFL Coach
:* [[Tim Clarke (Australian footballer)|Tim Clarke]] Forwards and Training Design Coach
:* [[Josh Francou]] Midfield and Stoppage Structures Coach
:* [[Kurt Tippett]] Part Time Specialist Coach
:* [[Neil Craig]] Part Time Coaching Team Consultant

* '''Head of Development:'''
:* [[Rhyce Shaw]]
<small>''Click [https://web.archive.org/web/20150910131254/http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/team/football-staff/coaching-staff here] for more information on Gold Coast's coaching staff''</small>

==AFL Women's team==
In September 2017, Gold Coast were granted a license by the AFL to compete in the [[AFL Women's]] league from the start of the [[2020 AFL Women's season|2020 season]].<ref name="ExpansionABCNews">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-27/tasmania-nth-melb-geelong-win-new-aflw-licences-for-2019/8992508|title=AFLW: Tasmania-North Melbourne and Geelong win licenses to field teams in 2019|work=ABC News|date=27 September 2017}}</ref> The club plays most home games at [[Carrara Stadium]], though has occasionally played at [[Fankhauser Reserve]] in nearby [[Southport, Queensland|Southport]], and the [[Ray Mitchell Oval|Great Barrier Reef Arena]] in [[Mackay, Queensland|Mackay]].

The Suns women won only two of their sixteen matches across the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Inaugural coach [[David Lake (coach)|David Lake]] left the club at the end of the 2021 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/902942/thank-you-lakey|title=Thank you Lakey|work=Gold Coast Suns|date=11 April 2021}}</ref> Lake was replaced by former North Melbourne football manager [[Cameron Joyce]] in June 2021.<ref>{{cite web|title=Time to re-Joyce: Suns lock in new AFLW coach|url=https://womens.afl/news/72521/time-to-re-joyce-suns-lock-in-new-aflw-coach|last1=Black|first1=Sarah|work=AFL Women's Media|access-date=2 June 2021|date=2 June 2021}}</ref> Joyce was sacked following the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1262082/gold-coast-suns-sack-aflw-coach-cameron-joyce|title=Suns sack AFLW coach Joyce after missing finals|last=Beveridge|first=Riley|website=AFL.com.au|date=1 December 2024|access-date=24 January 2025}}</ref> In January 2025, former North Melbourne men's coach [[Rhyce Shaw]] was hired, thus becoming the first person to be a senior coach in both AFL and AFLW.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1264724/for-shaw-gold-coast-suns-to-appoint-ex-north-melbourne-kangaroos-coach-rhyce-shaw-in-history-making-move|title=For Shaw: Suns appoint ex-Roos coach in history-making move|last=Beveridge|first=Riley|website=AFL.com.au|date=22 January 2025|access-date=24 January 2025}}</ref>

===Squad===
{{Gold Coast AFL Women's current squad}}

===Season summaries===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%"
! colspan="9" | Gold Coast AFLW honour roll
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%;"
! Season !! Ladder !! W–L–D !! Finals !! Coach !! Captain(s) !! Best and fairest !! [https://australianfootball.com/leagues/every_goalkicker/AFL/138/Women%27s+Premiership+Season/245?season_from=2021&season_to=2021&limit=1000 Leading goal kicker]
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2020 AFL Women's season|2020]]
|8th ^
|2–3–1
|Semi-final
| rowspan="2" |[[David Lake (coach)|David Lake]]
|[[Leah Kaslar]] & [[Sam Virgo]]
|[[Jamie Stanton]]
|[[Kalinda Howarth]] (9)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2021 AFL Women's season|2021]]
|14th
|0–9–0
| rowspan="3" |DNQ
|[[Sam Virgo]] & [[Hannah Dunn]]
|[[Lauren Ahrens]]
|Various (3){{efn|name=goals2021women|text=Six players jointly won the club goalkicking for the 2021 season, with three goals for each player. Those players were [[Kalinda Howarth]], [[Leah Kaslar]], [[Maddison Levi]], [[Sarah Perkins]], [[Jamie Stanton]] and [[Sam Virgo]].}}
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2022 AFL Women's season 6|2022 (S6)]]
|10th
|3–6–1
| rowspan="4" |[[Cameron Joyce (coach)|Cameron Joyce]]
|[[Hannah Dunn]]
|[[Alison Drennan]]
|[[Tara Bohanna]] (13)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2022 AFL Women's season 7|2022 (S7)]]
|9th
|5–5–0
| rowspan="3" |[[Tara Bohanna]]
|[[Charlie Rowbottom]]
|[[Tara Bohanna]] & [[Courtney Jones (Australian footballer)|Courtney Jones]] (8)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2023 AFL Women's season|2023]]
|5th
|6–3–1
|Elimination final
|[[Tara Bohanna]]
|[[Jamie Stanton]] (16)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2024 AFL Women's season|2024]]
|17th
|1–9–1
|DNQ
|[[Charlie Rowbottom]]
|[[Tara Bohanna]] (9)
|}
<small>^ Denotes the ladder was split into two conferences. Figure refers to the club's overall finishing position in the home-and-away season.</small>

==Reserves team==
{{Main|Australian Football League reserves affiliations}}
The Gold Coast Suns fielded a [[Reserve team|reserves team]] beneath the AFL team in the [[North East Australian Football League]] (NEAFL) competition between 2011 and 2019. Following the dissolving of the NEAFL at the end of the 2019 season, the Suns reserves team entered the [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL) in 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-vfl-merging-with-neafl-neafl-scrapped-draft-pathway-under18s-and-under16s-change-to-under17s-and-under19s/news-story/0cfbfd1d7e4f92160f01ab17fb9994d0|title=VFL to merge with NEAFL, under-18 comps revamped in massive changes to AFL's second tier|author=Max Laughton|date=24 August 2020|access-date=24 August 2020|work=Fox Sports}}</ref> and claimed its first premiership in [[2023 VFL season|2023]] with a 19-point win against [[Werribee Football Club|Werribee]] in the grand final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1036714/gold-coast-suns-claim-first-silverware-with-comeback-vfl-grand-final-win-over-werribee|title=Suns claim first silverware with comeback VFL GF win over Werribee|author=Nathan Schmook|date=24 September 2023|access-date=24 September 2023|work=AFL.com.au}}</ref>

===2024 playing squad===
[[File:The Gold Coast Reserves 2023 VFL premiership Team.jpg|thumb|The 2023 VFL Premiership Team]]
{{Rls
|squadname=Gold Coast Suns reserves
|BC1      =#B50000; border: solid #FFDE00 2px
|FC1      =#FFDE00
|BC2      =#B50000; border: solid #FFDE00 2px
|FC2      =#FFDE00
|source   = <ref>{{cite web |last1=Rhodes |first1=Brendan |title=Smithy's VFL List Update - 2024 Season |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1090364/smithys-vfl-list-update-2024-season |publisher=AFL.com.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409040345/https://www.afl.com.au/news/1090364/smithys-vfl-list-update-2024-season |archive-date=9 April 2024 |date=19 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast SUNS |url=https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6353#line-ups |publisher=AFL.com.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612011014/https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6353#line-ups |archive-date=12 June 2024 |date=5 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Carlton v Gold Coast SUNS |url=https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6387#line-ups |publisher=AFL.com.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612011324/https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6387#line-ups |archive-date=12 June 2024 |date=25 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gold Coast SUNS v Werribee Tigers |url=https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6406#line-ups |publisher=AFL.com.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612011559/https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6406#line-ups |archive-date=12 June 2024 |date=2 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sandringham Zebras v Gold Coast SUNS |url=https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6414#line-ups |publisher=AFL.com.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612011802/https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/6414#line-ups |archive-date=12 June 2024 |date=8 June 2024}}</ref>
|date     = 12 June 2024
|column1_title= Primary list
|list1a={{Rls player|no=52|name=Finn Hay}}
*{{Rls player|no=0|name=[[Zac O'Brien]]}}
*{{Rls player|no=61|name=Tom Reeves}}
*{{Rls player|no=63|name=Ben O'Brien}}
*{{Rls player|no=70|name=[[James Frawley (footballer)|James Frawley]]}}

|column2_title=Development list
|list4a={{Rls player|no=&nbsp;80|name=Beau Lester-Sutherland}}
*{{Rls player|no=51|name=Charlie Elliott}}
*{{Rls player|no=53|name=Harry Sullivan}}
*{{Rls player|no=58|name=Matthew Evans}}
*{{Rls player|no=59|name=Josh Zanker-Close}}
*{{Rls player|no=62|name=Nathan Kady}}
*{{Rls player|no=64|name=Nick Francis}}

|list4b_label=Other Academy players
|list4b={{Rls player|no=&nbsp;67|name=Jai Murray}}
*{{Rls player|no=54|name=Leo Lombard}}
*{{Rls player|no=54|name=Lucas Snowball}}
*{{Rls player|no=55|name=Jezz Butler}}
*{{Rls player|no=55|name=Dylan Patterson}}
*{{Rls player|no=57|name=Zai Millane}}
*{{Rls player|no=65|name=Beau Addinsall}}
*{{Rls player|no=66|name=Lachlan Gulbin}}

|coach=Tate Kaeslar
|assistant=
|assistant1=
|assistant2=
|assistant3=
|assistant4=

|legend1=(B) Category B rookie
<!--|legend2=[[File:Arrow-up.gif|8px]] Upgraded rookie(s)-->
|legend3=''italics'' - Inactive player list
|legend4=[[File:Cruz Roja.svg|8px]] Long-term injury
|legend5=(ret.) Retired
}}

===Season summaries===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%"
! Season !! Competition !! W–L–D !! Ladder position !! Finals result !! Coach !! Best & Fairest !! Leading goalkicker
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2011 NEAFL season|2011]] ||style="text-align: center" rowspan="3"| [[North East Australian Football League|NEAFL]]<br /> (Northern Conference) || 11-7-0 || 3rd || Semi-final ||rowspan="3"| [[Shaun Hart]] || [[Jacob Gillbee]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2012 NEAFL season|2012]] || 9-9-0 || 5th || Elimination final || [[Alik Magin]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2013 NEAFL season|2013]] || 10-7-0 || 6th || rowspan="3"|DNQ || [[Jack Martin (Australian footballer)|Jack Martin]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2014 NEAFL season|2014]] ||style="text-align: center" rowspan="6"| [[North East Australian Football League|NEAFL]] || 0-18-0 || 14th ||rowspan="2"| [[Josh Fraser]] || [[Leigh Osborne]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2015 NEAFL season|2015]] || 8-10-0 || 7th || Tyrone Downie ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2016 NEAFL season|2016]] || 8-10-0 || 6th || Elimination Final ||rowspan="2"| Stephen Daniel || [[Keegan Brooksby]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2017 NEAFL season|2017]] || 10-8-0 || 4th || Preliminary Final || [[Darcy Macpherson]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2018 NEAFL season|2018]] || 7-11-0 || 8th || rowspan="2"| DNQ ||rowspan="2"| [[Nick Malceski]] || [[Jacob Dawson]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2019 NEAFL season|2019]] || 8-10-0 || 7th || [[Tom Nicholls]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| 2020 ||style="background-color:#E9E9E9;" align="center" colspan="7"| Season cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]].
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2021 VFL season|2021]] ||style="text-align: center" rowspan="4"|[[Victorian Football League|VFL]] || 4-6-0 || 14th || DNQ || Tate Kaesler<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/890239/vfl-su|title=VFL SUNS v Southport: Practice Match Report|work=Gold Coast Suns|date=27 March 2021|quote=Speaking to SUNS Media post game, VFL Head Coach Tate Kaesler said the side would need to focus on ensuring they performed across all four quarters.}}</ref> || [[Will Brodie]] ||
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2022 VFL season|2022]] || 12-6-0 || 5th || Preliminary Final || Jackson Kornberg<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1028438/jackson-kornberg-appointed-vfl-head-coach|title=Jackson Kornberg appointed VFL Head Coach|work=Gold Coast FC|date=1 November 2021}}</ref> ||  || [[Chris Burgess (Australian footballer)|Chris Burgess]] (52)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2023 VFL season|2023]] || 16-2-0 || 1st || Premiers || [[Josh Drummond]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1242394/suns-announce-coaching-structure-changes|title=SUNS Announce Coaching Structure Changes|work=Gold Coast FC|date=28 October 2022}}</ref>  ||  || [[Chris Burgess (Australian footballer)|Chris Burgess]], Brodie McLaughlin (51)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| [[2024 VFL season|2024]] || 10-7-2 || 9th || DNQ || Tate Kaeslar<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rhodes |first1=Brendan |title=Smithy's VFL List Update - 2024 Season |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1090364/smithys-vfl-list-update-2024-season |publisher=AFL.com.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409040345/https://www.afl.com.au/news/1090364/smithys-vfl-list-update-2024-season |archive-date=9 April 2024 |date=19 March 2024}}</ref> || [[Hewago Oea]] || [[Levi Casboult]] (23)
|}

===Premierships (1)===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!scope="col"|Year 
!scope="col"|Competition
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Venue
|-
!scope="row"| [[2023 VFL season|2023]]
|style="text-align: center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]|| [[Werribee Football Club|Werribee]] || '''17.10 (112) – 14.9 (93)''' || [[Princes Park (stadium)|Ikon Park]]
|}

==Gold Coast Suns Academy==
[[File:Gold Coast Suns Academy.jpg|thumb|The Gold Coast Suns Academy]]
The '''Gold Coast Suns Academy''', consisting of the club's best junior development signings, was formed in 2010. Over 40 of its players have gone on to play senior AFL.<ref>[https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/teams/academy/graduates Gold Coast Suns Academy Graduates]</ref> It is one of four Northern AFL Academies including the [[Brisbane Lions Academy]], [[Sydney Swans Academy]] and [[GWS Giants Academy]].

2 full-time staff manage selected underage players from age 12 up.<ref>[https://www.afl.com.au/news/90382/how-the-northern-football-academies-work How the northern football academies work] By Michael Whiting on Feb 18, 2015</ref> The academy also manages regional recruitment hubs in zones including: [[Cairns, Queensland|Cairns]], [[Townsville]], [[Mackay, Queensland|Mackay]], [[Gladstone, Queensland|Gladstone]], [[Northern Rivers]] region ([[New South Wales]]) and [[Darwin, Northern Territory]] (since 2019).

The men's and women's U16 and U18 teams have contested Division 2 of the men's and women's underage championships since 2017.

The Suns Academy also joined the [[Talent League]] for the [[2019 NAB League Boys season]] and were inaugural winners of the Northern Academies competition.

Some of the Academy's most notable male players include the Gold Coast senior AFL players [[Jed Walter]], [[Ethan Read]], [[Jake Rogers (footballer)|Jake Rogers]], [[Will Graham (footballer)|Will Graham]], [[Leo Lombard]], [[Connor Budarick]], [[Lachie Weller]], [[Jacob Dawson]], [[Caleb Graham]], [[Jack Bowes]], [[Alex Davies (footballer)|Alex Davies]], [[Jesse Joyce (footballer)|Jesse Joyce]], [[Brad Scheer]], [[Brayden Crossley]], [[Jacob Heron]], [[Max Spencer]], [[Malcolm Rosas Jr]] and [[Joel Jeffrey]].  It also includes players who went on to other clubs : [[Bailey Scott]], [[Braydon Preuss]], [[Will Ashcroft]], [[Andrew Boston]] and [[Josh Williams (Australian footballer)|Josh Williams]]. Academy members who went on to excel in other sports include [[Patrick Murtagh]] and [[Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/former-coach-nq-cowboys-flyer-could-have-made-afl/news-story/f239ec0168ed5b137847b79ce7b31171 |title= NQ Cowboys flyer could have made AFL |date=21 February 2020}}</ref>
Notable female academy players include Gold Coast senior AFLW players [[Lauren Bella]], [[Dee Heslop]], [[Taylor Smith (Australian footballer)|Taylor Smith]], [[Tori Groves-Little]], [[Daisy D'Arcy]], [[Kalinda Howarth]], [[Ellie Hampson]], [[Serene Watson]], [[Ashanti Bush]], [[Jasmyn Smith]], [[Wallis Randell]], [[Annise Bradfield]] and [[Charlotte Hammans]].

Players signed from the club's Darwin (Northern Territory) Academy include [[Malcolm Rosas Jr]], [[Lloyd Johnston]], [[Joel Jeffrey]] and [[Annabel Kievit]].

== Honour board ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
! colspan="11" |Gold Coast Suns Honour Board 
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
! colspan="11" | TAC Cup
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Year'''
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Position'''
!
{{Tooltip|'''W-L-D'''|Win–loss–draw (includes finals/league results only)}}
!{{Tooltip|'''%'''|Percentage PF/PA (includes finals/league results only)}}
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Chairman'''
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|'''CEO'''
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Coach'''
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Captain'''
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|'''[[Gold Coast Suns Club Champion|Club Champion]]'''
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;" |'''[[List of Gold Coast Suns leading goalkickers|Leading Goalkicker]]'''
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2009 TAC Cup season|2009]]||5th
|10–7–1
|111
||John Witheriff
|| Travis Auld ||[[Guy McKenna]]||[[Marc Lock]]||[[Marc Lock]]
||Matt Fowler
|43
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
! colspan="11" |Victorian Football League
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2010 VFL season|2010]]||10th
|5–12–1
|83
||John Witheriff
|| Travis Auld
||[[Guy McKenna]]||[[Marc Lock]]||[[Sam Iles]]||[[Charlie Dixon (Australian footballer)|Charlie Dixon]]<br />[[Brandon Matera]] 
|22
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
! colspan="11" |Australian Football League
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2011 AFL season|2011]]
|bgcolor="#FFD6E8" div |{{font color|black|17th}}
|3–19–0
|56
| rowspan=5 | John Witheriff
| rowspan=4 | Travis Auld
| rowspan=4 | [[Guy McKenna]]
| rowspan=6 | [[Gary Ablett Jr.]]||[[Gary Ablett Jr.]]
|[[Danny Stanley]]
|20
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2012 AFL season|2012]]
|17th
|3–19–0
|61
|[[Gary Ablett Jr.]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|[[Gary Ablett Jr.]]
|26
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2013 AFL season|2013]]
|14th
|8–14–0
|92
|[[Gary Ablett Jr.]] <sup>(3)</sup> [[Brownlow Medal|★]]
|[[Gary Ablett Jr.]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|28
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2014 AFL season|2014]]
|12th
|10–12–0
|94
|[[David Swallow]]
|[[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]]
|48
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2015 AFL season|2015]]
|16th
|4–17–1
|73
| rowspan=2 | Andrew Travis
| rowspan=2 | [[Rodney Eade]]
|[[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]]
|[[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|43
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2016 AFL season|2016]]
|15th
|6–16–0
|78
| rowspan=7 | [[Tony Cochrane]]
|[[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|[[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]] <sup>(3)</sup>
|66
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2017 AFL season|2017]]
|17th
|6–16–0
|76
| rowspan=8 | Mark Evans
|[[Rodney Eade]]<br />[[Dean Solomon]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]]<br />[[Steven May]]
|[[Gary Ablett Jr.]] <sup>(4)</sup>
|[[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]] <sup>(4)</sup>
|44
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2018 AFL season|2018]]
|17th
|4–18–0
|60
| rowspan=5 | [[Stuart Dew]]
|[[Jarrod Harbrow]]
|[[Alex Sexton]]
|28
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2019 AFL season|2019]]
|bgcolor="#FFD6E8" div |{{font color|black|18th}}
|3–19–0
|61
| rowspan=3 | [[David Swallow]]<br />[[Jarrod Witts]]
|[[Jarrod Witts]]
|[[Alex Sexton]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|39
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2020 AFL season|2020]]
|14th
|5–11–1
|91
|[[Sam Collins (Australian footballer)|Sam Collins]]
|[[Ben King (footballer)|Ben King]]
|25
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2021 AFL season|2021]]
|16th
|7–15–0
|77
|[[Touk Miller]]
|[[Ben King (footballer)|Ben King]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|47
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2022 AFL season|2022]]
|12th
|10–12–0
|103
| rowspan=3 | [[Touk Miller]]<br />[[Jarrod Witts]]
|[[Touk Miller]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|[[Mabior Chol]]
|44
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2023 AFL season|2023]]
|15th
|9–14–0
|92
| rowspan=2 | Bob East
|[[Stuart Dew]]<br />[[Steven King (footballer)|Steven King]]
|[[Noah Anderson]]
|[[Ben King (footballer)|Ben King]] <sup>(3)</sup>
|40
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2024 AFL season|2024]]
|13th
|11–12–0
|99
|[[Damien Hardwick]]
|[[Sam Collins (Australian footballer)|Sam Collins]] <sup>(2)</sup>
|[[Ben King (footballer)|Ben King]] <sup>(4)</sup>
|55
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
| colspan="11" |[[Brownlow Medal|★]] = Brownlow Medallist  /  [[Coleman Medal|✪]] = Coleman Medallist  /  <sup>2</sup> = Multiple Best & Fairest or Leading Goal Kicker
|}

==Club records==
{{main|List of Gold Coast Suns records}}

==Club honours==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Premierships'''
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
!Competition
!Team
!Wins
!Years Won
|-
|'''[[Australian Football League]]''' <small>(2011–present)</small>||Seniors <small>(Men)</small>||0||Nil
|-
|'''[[North East Australian Football League]]''' <small>(2011–2019)</small><br>'''[[Victorian Football League]]''' <small>(2021–present)</small>||Reserves <small>(Men)</small>||1||[[2023 VFL season|2023]]
|-
|'''[[AFL Women's]]''' <small>(2020–present)</small>||Seniors <small>(Women)</small>||0||Nil
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Other titles and honours'''
|-
|'''[[NAB League]] [[2019 NAB League season#Academy Series|Academy Series]]''' <small>(2009, 2019–present)</small>||Under 19s||1||[[2019 NAB League season|2019]]
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Finishing positions'''
|-
|rowspan=3 scope="row" style="text-align: left"| '''[[Australian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFL/AFL minor premiers|Minor premiership]]||0||Nil
|-
||[[AFL Grand Final|Grand Finalist]]||0||Nil
|-
||[[List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons|Wooden spoons]]||2||[[2011 AFL season|2011]], [[2019 AFL season|2019]]
|-
|rowspan=3 scope="row" style="text-align: left"| '''[[AFL Women's]]'''||[[List of AFL Women's minor premiers|Minor premiership]]||0||Nil
|-
||[[AFL Women's Grand Final|Grand Finalist]]||0||Nil
|-
||[[List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons#AFL Women's|Wooden spoons]]||1||[[2021 AFL Women's season|2021]]
|-
|'''[[Victorian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFA/VFL minor premiers|Minor premiership]]||1||[[2023 VFL season|2023]]
|}

==Match and season records==
*'''Highest score:'''  Gold Coast 26.8 (164) v Geelong 15.10 (100), [[2024 AFL season#Round 10|Round 10, 2024]], [[Marrara Oval|TIO Stadium]]
*'''Lowest score:''' Gold Coast 3.2 (20) v Port Adelaide 20.15 (135), [[2017 AFL season#Round 23|Round 23, 2017]], [[Adelaide Oval]]
*'''Lowest winning score:''' Gold Coast 7.13 (55) v North Melbourne 5.9 (39), [[2018 AFL season#Round 1|Round 1, 2018]], [[Cazaly's Stadium]]
*'''Highest losing score:''' Gold Coast 17.11 (113) v West Coast 20.10 (130), [[2013 AFL season#Round 19|Round 19, 2013]], [[Patersons Stadium]]
*'''Greatest winning margin:''' 87 points – Gold Coast 20.16 (136) v West Coast 7.7 (49), [[2025 AFL season#Round 1|Round 1, 2025]], [[Optus Stadium]]
*'''Greatest losing margin:''' 150 points – Gold Coast 6.2 (38) v Geelong 29.14 (188), [[2011 AFL season#Round 20|Round 20, 2011]], [[Kardinia Park (stadium)|Kardinia Park]]
*'''Longest winning streak:''' 5 (round 5, 2014 &ndash; round 10, 2014)
*'''Longest losing streak:''' 21 (round 18, 2011 &ndash; round 15, 2012)
*'''Highest ladder position:''' 12th, [[2014 AFL season|2014]] & [[2022 AFL season|2022]]
*'''Lowest ladder position:''' 18th (Wooden Spoon), [[2019 AFL season|2019]]

===AFL finishing positions (2011–present)===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! Finishing Position !! Year ([[AFL finals series|Finals]] in Bold)!!Tally
|-
|'''Premiers'''||nil||'''0'''
|-
|'''Runner Up'''||nil||'''0'''
|-
|3rd||nil||'''0'''
|-
|4th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|5th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|6th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|7th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|8th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|9th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|10th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|11th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|12th||2014, 2022||'''2'''
|-
|13th||2024||'''1'''
|-
|14th||2013, 2020||'''2'''
|-
|15th||2016, 2023||'''2'''
|-
|16th||2015, 2021||'''2'''
|-
|17th||2011, 2012, 2017, 2018||'''4'''
|-
|18th||2019||'''1'''
|}

==Individual awards==

<div style="float:left; width:48%;">
'''[[All-Australian team]]'''
*[[Gary Ablett, Jr.|Gary Ablett Jr]]: [[All-Australian team#2011|2011]] (c), [[All-Australian team#2012|2012]] (vc), [[All-Australian team#2013|2013]] (vc), [[All-Australian team#2014|2014]]
*[[Tom Lynch (Australian footballer, born 1992)|Tom Lynch]]: [[2016 All-Australian team|2016]]
*[[Touk Miller]]: [[All-Australian Team#2021|2021]], [[All-Australian Team#2022|2022]]

'''[[Leigh Matthews Trophy]]'''
*[[Gary Ablett, Jr.|Gary Ablett Jr]]: [[Leigh Matthews Trophy#Winners|2012]], [[Leigh Matthews Trophy#Winners|2013]]

'''[[AFL Women's All-Australian team|AFLW All-Australian team]]'''
*[[Kalinda Howarth]]: [[2020 AFL Women's All-Australian team|2020]]

</div>

<div style="float:right; width:48%;">

'''[[Brownlow Medal]]'''
*[[Gary Ablett, Jr.|Gary Ablett Jr]]: [[2013 Brownlow Medal|2013]]

'''[[AFL Rising Star|Ron Evans Medal]]'''
*[[Jaeger O'Meara]]: [[AFL Rising Star#Recipients|2013]]
</div>
{{Clear}}

== Notable Supporters ==
* [[Mick Fanning]] (Australian professional surfer)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2016-01-29 |title=Your AFL club's most famous supporters, from Barack Obama to Cam Newton |url=https://foxsports.com.au/afl/your-afl-clubs-most-famous-supporters-from-barack-obama-to-cam-newton/news-story/03eb54659866d587cf9c2cc4b9f3d8c5 |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=Fox Sports |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Anna Bligh]] (Former Queensland premier)
* [[Thomas Zahariou]] (musician, composer, and member of [[Aunty Donna]])<ref>{{cite podcast
| url= https://listnr.com/podcasts/the-footy-with-broden-kelly/episodes/new-pod-new-uninformed-ladder-predictions | title= The Footy with Broden Kelly | website= LiSTNR | publisher= Grouse House | host= Kelly, Broden & Zahariou, Thomas | date= March 14, 2023 | access-date= July 13, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr9exG8SJui/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== | title=Instagram }}</ref>
==Activism==
===Same Sex Marriage===
During the [[Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey]], Gold Coast Suns supported the Yes vote.<ref name="foot">[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-21/half-afl-clubs-support-same-sex-marriage-as-fans-divided/8966584 SSM: AFL clubs come out in favour of same-sex marriage as league's Yes push splits opinions] ''ABC News''</ref>

===Voice to Parliament===
Gold Coast Suns was a supporter of the [[Voice to Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 May 2023 |title=We want to show our support for the next step in Australia's reconciliation journey. |url=https://twitter.com/GoldCoastSUNS/status/1661907553436196864 |access-date=30 September 2023 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Queensland|Sports|Australia}}
*[[Australian rules football in Queensland]]
*[[History of Australian rules football on the Gold Coast]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==Books==
* {{cite book | last=Webber | first=Matthew | title=The house of the rising sons | publisher=Random House Australia | publication-place=North Sydney, N.S.W. | date=2012 | isbn=978-1-74275-352-2 | oclc=754905224}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713012630/http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/events/results-2010-vfl/ 2010 VFL results page] at [http://goldcoastfc.com.au goldcoastfc.com.au]
* [https://www.flashscore.com.au/team/gold-coast-suns/YcvinpFM/ Gold Coast Suns results] - Latest scores for Gold Coast Suns Football Club

{{Gold Coast Suns}}
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[[Category:Gold Coast Suns| ]]
[[Category:Australian Football League clubs]]
[[Category:Australian rules football clubs established in 2009]]
[[Category:2009 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Australian rules football clubs in Queensland]]
[[Category:Former Talent League clubs]]
[[Category:Australian rules football clubs on the Gold Coast, Queensland]]