Trade talk: Is Hawthorn the right fit for departing Sun?

Ben King has decided on his playing future, with the key forward informing Gold Coast that he'll explore free agency.

Following his Suns exit meeting after a disappointing campaign for the club, it is believed that the 26-year-old will move back to Melbourne, with Hawthorn seemingly set to secure his services.

The club have since confirmed the news that King will depart.

"Ben King has today informed the club of his intention to explore his options as a restricted free agent during the upcoming free agency period," read a Suns post.

SEN Breakfast’s Garry Lyon and Tim Watson discussed King’s impending exit from the Suns, pondering if the Hawks are the right fit.

Some see King as the perfect replacement for Jack Gunston who will likely finish up at the end of of 2027, which Watson and Lyon touched on.

“It’s an open secret that he wants to get to Hawthorn,” Watson said.

“Is he the player that they desperately need?”

Lyon replied: “This is interesting. So, Jack Gunston plays his position in a unique way and he does it better than anyone else in the competition.”

Watson said: “The structure of the forward line is set up for Jack Gunston as they are playing right now.”

Lyon continued: “Pretty much. His work is done inside the forward 50 and that’s his domain.

“I don’t think Ben King would have taken too many marks outside the forward 50. He’s not Josh Treacy who hits up on the wings, he does his work inside forward 50.

“Is that going to compromise where Jack Gunston does his work? They’ve got Mabior Chol, Mitch Lewis, and Calsher Dear at the moment who may go of course.

“He’ll kick you goals, Ben King will kick you goals wherever he goes.”

Watson added: “But the Gold Coast forward line has been set up for him to kick goals like that too.

“Sam Mitchell is a very clever coach. Maybe in his thinking because of the athletic assets that King has that they can actually play him further up the ground. He’s one of the fastest guys in the competition over 100m.”

Lyon concluded: “Sam Mitchell wouldn’t be going all-in on Ben King unless he has a plan.

“And Jack’s not going to be there forever.”

King was drafted by the Suns in 2018, playing 143 games and kicking 315 goals which is a club record.

He kicked a career-best 71 goals in 2025 to finish second in the Coleman Medal and managed 60 this year.

The free agency period opens on October 2.