Gold Coast Football Club - Recruitment

Recruitment

In the leadup to the 2009 AFL Draft, the AFL allowed the Gold Coast to recruit 12 players born between January and April 1992, with all other AFL clubs being restricted to players born in 1991 or earlier.

Karmichael Hunt, a former professional rugby league player with the Brisbane Broncos and rugby union side Biarritz Olympique in France's Top 14, was signed to swap codes to play for the Gold Coast from 2010.

Gary Ablett, Jr., dual premiership player with Geelong and winner of the 2009 Brownlow Medal, signed a deal reportedly worth $9.6 million over five years to captain the Gold Coast during their starting years.

Other significant signings to the current junior team that played in the VFL included Stanis Susuve (a member of Papua New Guinea's International Cup winning team) and Brandon Matera (whose father Wally Matera and uncles Peter and Phil all played senior AFL football with the West Coast Eagles).

At the end of 2010 season, the club had been given the following concessions:

• The ability to sign one uncontracted player from each of the 16 AFL clubs
• Zoned access to five Queensland players prior to the AFL draft
• The first pick in every round plus additional first round picks at Numbers 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 and 15 of the 2010 AFL Draft
• The capacity to pre-list 10 players who had previously nominated for the AFL Draft, or were previously listed with an AFL club
• The first five selections of the Rookie Draft
• An expanded main list of 48 players (clubs are usually allowed 38)