The Gold Coast SUNS have finalized their 23-man squad for their upcoming clash against the Western Bulldogs at Mars Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Co-captain Jarrod Witts has been sidelined from the lineup due to a groin injury, with young ruckman Ned Moyle stepping in as his replacement.
Ben Long is set to make his season debut and has been included in the final interchange alongside Sam Flanders, Nick Holman, David Swallow, and Levi Casboult.
Rory Atkins, Mac Andrew, and Sam Clohesy are listed as emergencies.
Jed Walter, the highest SUNS Academy pick in AFL Draft history (Pick 3), is slated for his AFL debut, as announced yesterday.
Brandon Ellis will mark his 250th AFL appearance, notably under Damien Hardwick, who coached him during his debut for Richmond in 2012. Ellis previously played alongside SUNS Assistant Coaches Brad Miller and Shaun Grigg, as well as Leadership Consultant Alex Rance, in his debut match.
The SUNS have previously played in Ballarat on three occasions in club history: in 2018 against the Western Bulldogs (resulting in a nine-point loss, coinciding with Charlie Ballard’s debut), in 2021 against GWS (a one-point victory), and in 2022 against the Western Bulldogs (a 19-point loss).
David Swallow holds the distinction of being the sole player to have participated in every encounter between the Gold Coast SUNS and the Western Bulldogs, having played in all 16 games.
The match kicks off at 12:00 pm AEST and will be broadcast live on Fox Footy, Kayo, and the Seven Network (consult your local listings for details).
