The Gold Coast SUNS NEAFL team will feature 16 players from the club’s Academy when they run out for an elimination final against Sydney University at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday.

The SUNS leaped into the finals on the back of last week’s thrilling four-point win over Aspley, their first NEAFL finals appearance since 2012, but injuries have decimated the number of available senior players with just five listed SUNS named to take the field.

Clay Cameron is the only senior player coming back into the side this week with Mitch Hallahan, Jesse Joyce and Darcy Macpherson all called up to the senior team. All three were instrumental in the team’s win last weekend.

David Swallow is also unavailable after suffering hamstring tightness in last week’s win.

Sydney University finished third on the NEAFL ladder with a 12-6 record and finished the season with a 25-point loss to the Sydney Swans, while Gold Coast finished sixth on the ladder with eight wins for the year.

NEAFL Elimination Final Team

B: T. Keough, B. Foster (A), M. Willis
HB: M. Spencer (A), S. Tape, L. Ritchie
C: J. Schoenfeld, C. West (A), J. Bowes (A)
HF: C. Nutting (A), H. Simington (A), B. Scheer (A)
F: C. Marsden (A), J. Esam (A), S. Davidson (A)
FOLL: B. Crossley (A), J. Dawson (A), D. Charlesworth (A)
INT: C. Cameron, N. Kempe (A), S. Watson (A), J. Williams (A)