AFL: Gold Coast opens talks to extend talented South Sudanese tall Mac Andrew beyond draft contract

Gold Coast has launched talks to extend top-five draftee Mac Andrew for two more years, hot on the heels of fellow first-round selections Ben King and Elijah Hollands re-signing. The Suns are riding high after beating West Coast at Perth Stadium for the first time on Sunday night, with coach Stuart Dew declaring post-match their “games profile” had them poised to be more competitive. Andrew suffered an ankle injury in the same infamous marking contest in an intraclub game in February that saw King rupture the ACL in his right knee – but is ready to play again. The uber-athletic, 201cm Dandenong Stingrays graduate was one of two South Sudanese footballers, along with Giant Leek Aleer, picked in the first round of the draft last November. He is tipped to play senior football as soon as his debut season, most likely in a defensive role to start with, but Gold Coast views him as the ultimate tall utility, especially once he grows into his frame. A two-year extension would ensure Andrew remains at the Suns through the 2025 season. His want to recommit early in his tenure is another boost for the club’s player retention, after out-of-contract forward Izak Rankine told News Corp last week that he, too, wanted to stay. Gold Coast is believed to also be closing in on Connor Budarick’s signature. Suns recruiting manager Kall Burns said after last year’s draft that Andrew’s athleticism and skillset would wonderfully complement their emerging playing list. “We’ve scouted Mac for several years and see great potential in him as an exciting ruck prospect who has versatility to play other positions,” Burns said. “What appealed to us about Mac, first and foremost, is his competitiveness. “On top of this, Mac shows tremendous physical attributes. For someone two metres tall; he’s fast, agile, has a great leap and is quite skilful, and those players don’t come around very often. “Like many draftees, Mac still has a lot of development ahead of him and we are excited to see where he can progress to in years to come.” Both King and Hollands inked fresh two-year deals that will tie them to the Suns until at least the end of 2024.