Earning the respect of a young Gold Coast SUNS group is the first item on the agenda for the club’s newest draftee Bailey Humphrey.

The dynamic 18-year-old, who has the ability to play both in midfield and forward, was taken by the SUNS with Pick 6 in Monday night’s NAB AFL Draft.

Humphrey is expected to travel to Queensland later this week and meet with his new teammates on Friday and is focused on making his mark from the start.

“There were plenty of nerves (on draft night). Once my name got picked out by the SUNS, that all just released,” Humphrey said shortly after being selected on Monday night.

“They (the SUNS) are a young group and I’m looking forward to earn respect from them and hopefully they embrace me.”

Humphrey joins new teammates Ben Ainsworth and Sam Flanders as SUNS to have been drafted from Gippsland Power in recent years with both players having reached out to him in the lead-up to Draft night.

“I’ve known Sam for a little bit, he played for my local club Moe and he went to the same school,” Humphrey added.

“Ben Ainsworth also messaged me this morning so that was a little bit of excitement.”

Touted as a powerful and dynamic player who can complement a strong SUNS midfield by SUNS National Recruiting Manager Kall Burns, Humphrey showed immense potential across the ground in his 2022 NAB League campaign, kicking 21 goals in 11 games to go with 20 disposals and five tackles per game.

While he’s hoping to break into midfield core, the newest SUN says he’s happy to pitch his case closer to goal with all eyes now on pre-season and Round 1, 2023.

“I think I fit forward first. The SUNS have a very good midfield with the likes of Touk (Miller), Rowelly (Matt Rowell) and (Noah) Anderson so that’s going to be hard to break in to,” Humphrey added.

“(When asked on a Round 1 debut) I’ve got to prove myself first.”