Not many players in the history of the game have burst in to league football in the manner in which rookie revelation, Adam Saad, did in 2015. His audacious runs from deep in defence instantly captivated fans and left observers of our great game marvelling at his ability to do what others couldn’t, or rather wouldn’t even dream of attempting.

In a year littered with negatives at the Gold Coast SUNS, Saad provided a major draw card, with his high-octane runs mesmerizing fans as well as his polished left foot which finished off his darting work. Quickly the question emerged: how had this talent been overlooked in so many drafts and by all clubs before Gold Coast took a chance on the mature-aged recruit via last December’s rookie draft.
 
Saad managed 16 appearances in his debut season finishing eighth in the SUNS Club Champion, rapidly becoming a fan favourite and one of the most enthralling players to watch in the game due to his ability to run and carry and weave in and out of opponents like they were witches hats anchored to the ground.
 
The 21-year-old’s season begun brightly on the MCG, as the boy from Melbourne’s inner north was rewarded for an eye-catching NAB Challenge series with a debut on the game’s biggest stage. He collected 13 possessions and slotted his maiden AFL goal in front of family and friends, which overflowed an entire bay at the MCG. Finally, at long last, his career was off the mark.
 
By round five, after a handful of jaw-dropping runs, Saad put together four quarters of exceptional football. Against Brisbane in QClash9, the VFL product collected a career-high 26 possessions at an elite efficiency rate of 80.8 per cent, to go with four rebound 50s that helped Gold Coast to their first victory under Rodney Eade.
 
Saad’s brilliance against the Lions was rewarded days later with the round five Rising Star nomination, a reward not only for his perseverance over the years, but also a sign that he belonged at the highest level.
 
A week later against Adelaide, the dashing defender produced an even better performance, collecting another haul of 26 touches, this time at a phenomenal 92.3 per cent. Despite his inexperience, he was the man behind the wheel for the SUNS in defence. The player who his teammates looked to in order to get them out of trouble when required.
 
Arguably the crowning moment in Saad’s season was his performance against Fremantle in the wet in round 11. The ladder leaders possessed one of the strongest teams in the game, and the SUNS were heavily depleted when the Dockers travelled to Metricon Stadium.
 
In difficult conditions for ball handling, Saad’s class shone brightly. He took the game on with his usual endeavour and hit his targets. On a number of occasions he also demonstrated his bravery and courage, going back with the flight in one marking contest to take a stunning mark in front of Fremantle superstar Matthew Pavlich.
 
Unfortunately, as the season wore on, the demands of league football and the step up in intensity from the VFL weighed heavily on Saad’s body. He struggled with osteitis pubis, missing five of the last nine games of the year. The games he was out there during that period, he was a shadow of the player he was in the earlier rounds. His body didn’t allow him to burst away from contests and cut angles like a slalom skier.
 
But, in the first half of the year, Saad demonstrated he has a long and prosperous future in the game. He possesses weapons not many others do, and with a full pre-season and a stronger emphasis on his conditioning, the lightly-built Coburg product has the potential to take his game to unchatereted territory in 2016.