The Gold Coast SUNS have once again held the Macca's Gold Coast Junior Club Draft where AFL and AFLW players are assigned to one of 16 local clubs in the area as ambassadors for 2020.
The Macca's Junior Draft forms part of the Gold Coast SUNS’ commitment to local grassroots football.
This was the third year the event was run and the first time the club’s AFLW players were involved.
All 52 male players and 30 female players were “drafted” and will work with their respective junior clubs throughout 2020 to help grow and develop junior football in the Gold Coast region.
Alongside the 12 original Gold Coast clubs, three new clubs (Beenleigh Buffaloes, Park Ridge Pirates & Jimboomba Redbacks) have joined the draft as well as a combined Northern Rivers region which consists of seven clubs across northern New South Wales.
Of the GC SUNS players, five were drafted to their original junior club; Charlotte Hammans and Jacob Dawson to Burleigh, Rory Thompson to Southport, Jesse Joyce to Tweed Coolangatta and Tori Groves-Little to Beenleigh.
Palm Beach Currumbin would be happy with their draft bounty, with club captains Jarrod Witts and Sam Virgo headed down the highway.
The club’s top two 2019 NAB AFL Draft selections, Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, were also inseparable in the Macca's Junior Draft after the pair were drafted to Broadbeach together.
The GC SUNS players will make two visits to their designated club throughout the season to assist with training sessions and will also support their club during Celebrate GC Footy round in April.