After a successful trade and exchange period that saw the addition of mature-aged recruits Pearce Hanley, Jarryd Lyons, Jarrod Witts and Michael Barlow, Friday’s NAB AFL National Draft represents the final piece of the puzzle for the Gold Coast according to SUNS List & Strategy Manager, Scott Clayton.

Gold Coast will enter Sydney’s Hordern Pavillon with selections 4, 6, 8, 10 and 73, the biggest draft hand a club has taken in excluding the establishment years for the SUNS and fellow expansion club GWS.

“I think the whole picture we have to take into consideration. I said before this is the final piece. Our trade period was good in regards to bringing in four players,” Clayton said.

“At the end of tonight there will be another five players so that’ll be nine new faces, which will really invigorate our group.

“We’ll look back at this period I think and say it was a real cornerstone of our success.”

Clayton and his recruiting team will be looking to bring a mixture of talent into Metricon Stadium, both on and off the field.

“We want a nice balance. I think when you’ve got that amount of picks so early you would like a nice balance in regards to position and certainly quality both physically and mentally,” Clayton said.

“Resilient group, leadership, all those things we’ll take into consideration.”

As for who will be on stage wearing the red and gold after the top ten concludes, the conversations remain ongoing.

However, when the clubs take their seats at their individual tables on Friday night, the methodical research and planning conducted over a lengthy period of time will ensure the SUNS are in the best possible position to bring elite talent to Queensland.

“To be honest, the conversations are ongoing. There’s been a lot of debate internally with our team, with Dom Ambrogio our Recruiting Manager, with Rodney Eade and with Marcus Ashcroft and Andrew Travis,” Clayton said.

“Across the board we’re still discussing exactly which way we go because it’s difficult because no-one’s ever had four picks inside ten so it’s so exciting.

“We certainly won’t be making any decisions at the draft, we would have gone through every single scenario so when we turn up to the draft it’s actually quite relaxing because we have made our decisions, we do know every scenario and take joy in selecting some fine young men.”