The Gold Coast Suns are likely to be active in the upcoming mid-season draft.
There is a clear need for ruck assistance given the season-ending knee injuries sustained by co-captain Jarrod Witts and youngster Matt Conroy, and it is believed that the Suns will look to address that area.
Former Geelong and Port Adelaide tall Wylie Buzza is one name being linked with a potential mid-season move to the Gold Coast and the club’s GM of Football, Jon Haines, has commented on that possibility.
“Our recruiting guys are looking at a fair few blokes at the moment,” he said on Sportsday.
“It’s an interesting one with state leagues and so forth, but we’ll definitely be looking at one or two players to bring in, in the mid-season draft.
“Given the injuries that we’ve had, it’s not too surprising to hear that sort of ruck/forward and ruckman role are areas that we’re looking to supplement our list.
“Wylie obviously falls into that category but there’s a fair few other blokes in and around that role at different state leagues that the guys are looking at as well.”
Buzza, 25, played nine games for the Cats across 2017 and 2018 before spending time on the Power’s list.
The Queenslander is currently averaging 16 disposals, nine hit-outs, six marks and has kicked 12 goals in five VFL games for Werribee this season.
The Suns have struggled in the ruck department in 2021 but have recently welcomed Zac Smith back into the fray to relieve the likes of Caleb Graham and Chris Burgess who have been shouldering the load.
Haines says some further help in the big-man department would be helpful.
“We’ve got four ruckmen on our list,” Haines added.
“If you look across the competition, most clubs have between three and five on their list.
“Our situation is that they’ve all been struck down with pretty serious and long-term injuries. That’s then forced some of our key forwards to play more of a ruck role.
“We feel the balance of the list was in reasonable shape, but it’s been the who in terms of the type of injuries that’s really impacted us.”
To highlight Gold Coast’s struggles, Witts remains at the top of the hit-outs stats category despite not playing since Round 3.
The Suns play Hawthorn this weekend but the venue was changed due to Victoria’s COVID-19 outbreak.
The Round 11 match, which was to be played in Darwin on Saturday night, will now take place at the SCG.
The mid-season draft takes place next Wednesday, June 2.