Gold Coast are keeping the door slightly open on their top two picks in the AFL national draft.
But Suns list manager Craig Cameron said it would take a massive trade for Gold Coast to consider giving up their spots at the top of the draft order.
That’s good news for Oakleigh Charger teammates, Carey Grammar schoolmates and great friends Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson.
Rowell and Anderson are the popular choices to be taken with the first two picks in the November 22 draft.
“They’re not off the table, but the players at the top of this year’s draft are exceptional,” Cameron told AFL Trade Radio.
“I would take something extraordinary to move those selections.
“But it would be silly for us to say they’re off the table – we have to look at all the ways we can to improve our football club. I haven’t had too many calls on them as yet.”
Rowell said he and Anderson have spoken about Monday’s announcement of AFL assistance for the struggling Suns, which features the priority pick at the top of the draft.
“We heard it separately – we did talk about it a little bit, but nothing is set in stone, obviously,” Rowell said.
“I guess if we were lucky enough to be drafted to the same club, it would be very exciting.”
Rowell’s already-lofty status among the draftees was confirmed further on Tuesday when he was awarded the annual Ben Mitchell Medal.
It is voted on by the AFL academy players and is more to do with character and behaviour, but in this case it also reflects Rowell’s standing as a junior player.
Previous winners include Jacob Weitering, Josh Kelly and Liam Duggan.
While Rowell’s AFL future looks assured, he said he is thinking no further than the draft combine over the next few days in Melbourne.
“I’ve been taught to not look too far ahead, especially because there’s a lot of talk about it,” he said.
“I’m thinking about the next thing, this year, and doing it to the best of my ability.”