Rhyce Shaw: Head Coach

Rhyce Shaw joined the club prior to the 2021 AFL season as the Head of Development after stints at both North Melbourne and the Sydney Swans. Following three seasons an Assistant Coach at the Swans, including being named as NEAFL Coach of the Year in 2018, Shaw was appointed an Assistant Coach at North Melbourne in 2018, before rising to interim Head Coach in 2019. Shaw was appointed North Melbourne’s Senior Coach for the 2020 Season. Shaw's venture into coaching comes following a 237-game career at Sydney and Collingwood which included three Grand Finals and a premiership in 2012. At the end of 2023, Shaw was promoted to the position of Director of Coaching – Academy before moving into his current role as AFLW Head Coach at the beginning of 2025.

Sam Iles: Senior Assistant Coach

Sam Iles has a lengthy history with the GC SUNS having won the club’s VFL best and fairest award in 2020 before playing 26 AFL matches during the club’s first two seasons in the competition. Iles has overseen the development on many of the club’s local products have held several positions in the club’s Academy including Development Coach and Head of Female Pathways as well as Queensland U18 Women’s Head Coach from 2019 – 2023. Having taken charge of the midfield since 2021, Iles was elevated to Senior Assistant Coach in 2023.

Rory Thompson: Assistant Coach

Thompson is a Gold Coast SUNS life member after first joining the club as an 18-year-old before the club’s 2009 TAC Cup season, going on to play 106 games across an injury-disrupted career. He has remained involved with the club since retiring in 2022 and in 2024 takes charge of the defence as an AFLW Assistant Coach for the first time. During his lengthy playing career with the SUNS, Thompson finished a career-best fourth in the 2013 Club Champion, along with the Most Improved Player and Most Professional Awards.