This Gold Coast SUNS midfielder might not be a household name, but through sheer hard work and determination, has made himself an automatic selection for coach Guy McKenna.

He is 26, was drafted nine years ago, is at his second club, has spent time in the VFL and has played a total of 60 games.  He has also just won himself another two-year contract extension.

Danny Stanley might not draw the headlines like teammates Gary Ablett, Dion Prestia, Jaeger O'Meara and David Swallow, but around the SUNS he's highly respected.

After playing five games in four seasons at Collingwood, his young AFL career looked washed up when he was delisted in 2009.  But McKenna – a Magpies assistant when Stanley was taken with pick no.21 in the 2005 AFL Draft – had other ideas.

He recruited the man known as 'Bull' to play a season of VFL, then help protect his largely young, skinny and inexperienced midfield when they hit the AFL in 2011.

McKenna said it was never Stanley's ability that held him back, just circumstances.

"Through the transition stage at Collingwood he just never got the opportunity," McKenna said.

"Then (Scott) Pendlebury and (Dale) Thomas came in and he was fighting Scott Burns and Nathan Buckley and Paul Licuria and 'Dutchie' (Brodie) Holland for a game at Collingwood. 

"He was such a good junior and probably couldn't understand why he wasn't getting a game. You go from a really good junior player into a strong AFL side … and some high draft picks jumped ahead of him and he got disillusioned. 

"He's not one to give up easily, I saw that from an early age."

Stanley said when he left the Magpies he knew he was still good enough to make it at the top level, and put his recent success down to a lot of hard work.

In 2011 he played a mix of midfield and half-forward and won the SUNS' goalkicking award with 20 goals.

The next two seasons he has played in almost every position on the ground – primarily in the midfield – and finished in the top-six of all three Club Champion counts.

"We can't forget what he's been able to do for the likes of Harley (Bennell), David Swallow and some of our younger mids," McKenna said.

"He's been able to go in and absorb the physical battering for them.

"His ability to win the contested ball has been a huge foil for Michael (Rischitelli) and Gary (Ablett) … he's been outstanding.

"He's entering his prime now and I think that's an exciting thing for him and us going forward."

With the club’s the young players now able to stand on their own two feet, Stanley is still demanding a position every week.

"Bluey always says if your form and fitness are right, you'll hold yourself in good stead to get in the team," Stanley said.

"In the pre-season my fitness was good and my form was relatively good, so that stuff (selection) takes care of itself."

He will now be with Gold Coast until at least the end of 2016, and you wouldn't bet against one of the most popular SUNS extending his time even further.

"We're a tight knit bunch of boys,” Stanley said. 

"The key signings we've had recently shows everyone we're committed to creating a successful environment and having some success in the future."