History has been made at Monday night’s Telstra AFLW Draft with eight StreetSmarts SUNS Academy graduates drafted to the Gold Coast SUNS.

A remarkable night for Gold Coast football saw locally produced talent fill six of the top 15 selections with the SUNS quick to match first-round bids on Sunny Lappin (Pick 4), Ava Usher (Pick 7), Georja Davies (Pick 9), Alannah Welsh (Pick 12), Mikayla Nurse (Pick 13) and Dekota Baron (Pick 15).

The SUNS’ record-breaking draft was finalised later in the evening with the selections of fellow Academy graduates Bronte Parker with Pick 32 and Rhianna Ingram at Pick 44.

Gold Coast SUNS AFLW Head Coach Rhyce Shaw is thrilled to welcome eight highly-touted local talents on a historic night for the club.

“It’s fantastic to tonight have welcomed eight young Gold Coasters to our squad,” Shaw said.

“Having worked with many of these girls over the last few years and seeing them develop during their time in the Academy, I’m thrilled to see the young players and young women they’ve become and they have thoroughly deserved the opportunity to represent our club.

“It’s due reward not only for the players and their families, but also for the junior clubs they’ve come through and for everyone involved right through their journeys who have sacrificed plenty to help these girls get to where they are today.

“To have six Gold Coasters selected in the first round and eight in total drafted to our club tonight is a testament to the work that’s happening in our Academy, and all the community clubs right across the city.”

The selections reflect the incredible growth and development of women’s football on the Gold Coast. Following record community participation numbers in 2025, the Gold Coast AFLW list now includes 17 StreetSmarts SUNS Academy graduates.

GOLD COAST SUNS 2025 AFLW DRAFTEES

Sunny Lappin - Pick 4 (matched Adelaide’s bid)
Position: Midfielder
Community Club: Southport

Junior Club: Surfers Paradise
Date of Birth: 28/11/07
Height: 169cm

Daughter of Carlton champion Matthew Lappin, Lappin was the club’s selection with the SUNS matching a bid from Adelaide. A prolific ball winner and equally strong distributor, Lappin starred for the SUNS Academy and Queensland in 2025, finishing runner-up in the National Championships best and fairest before taking Female Academy Player of the Year.

Ava Usher - Pick 7 (matched Collingwood’s bid)

Position: Midfielder
Community Club: Bond University

Junior Club: Burleigh
Date of Birth: 11/08/07
Height: 162cm

Drafted as a highly-competitive inside midfielder, Usher has long been one of the top young prospects in the country after earning Under 18 All Australian selection as a 16-year-old in 2023. Injury has curtailed both her 2024 and 2025 campaigns, but her explosiveness, athleticism and elite footy IQ will excite SUNS fans heading in to 2026.

Georja Davies - Pick 9 (matched Essendon’s bid)
Position: Defender
Community Club: Southport

Junior Club: Southport
Date of Birth: 17/01/07
Height: 184cm

Georja Davies joins sister Darcie on the SUNS AFLW list and becomes the fourth Davies’ sister to play in the AFLW. The Southport junior was All-Australian at both Under 16 and Under 18 levels and adds plenty of versatility to Rhyce Shaw’s side with a natural leap and strong overhead mark seeing her having influence at both ends of the group and in the ruck.

Alannah Welsh - Pick 12 (matched Western Bulldogs’ bid)

Position: Forward
Community Club: Southport

Junior Club: Burleigh
Date of Birth: 23/11/07
Height: 169cm

National Academy member Alannah Welsh became a SUN with Pick 12, bring A-grade agility, endurance and scoreboard impact to the SUNS list. A dangerous rebound defender-turned-powerful forward, Welsh earned All Australian honours in 2025 before putting her elite endurance on display with a blistering time in the 2km time trial at the Draft Combine.

Mikayla Nurse - Pick 13 (matched Western Bulldogs’ bid)

Position: Midfielder
Community Club: Southport

Junior Club: Southport
Date of Birth: 19/09/07
Height: 166cm

Nurse starred for both Queensland and the Academy in her draft year with elite endurance and speed and full display at the draft combine in which she ranked in the top three in both the 2km time trial and 20m sprint. She arrives on the SUNS AFLW list as yet another with Under 18 All Australian honours to her name.

Dekota Baron - Pick 15 (matched Melbourne’s bid)

Position: Forward
Community Club: Southport

Junior Club: Broadbeach
Date of Birth: 03/01/07
Height: 178cm

After an injury interrupted season, Dekota Baron became the sixth Academy graduate drafted to the SUNS inside the first round, bringing with her a great natural leap and raw athleticism. She is a former Under 16 All Australian and has dominated in key positions for the Academy and Queensland in recent seasons.

Bronte Parker - Pick 32
Position: Midfielder
Community Club: Bond University

Junior Club: Burleigh
Date of Birth: 19/01/07
Height: 171cm

Despite an ACL injury putting a line through her season, Parker started 2025 in scintillating fashion in the Coates Talent League with her contested work and clean hands expected to be a valuable asset for Rhyce Shaw’s side.

Rhianna Ingram - Pick 44 (matched Western Bulldogs’ bid)

Position: Defender
Community Club: Southport

Junior Club: Southport
Date of Birth: 20/10/07
Height: 167cm

Ingram became the eighth StreetSmarts SUNS Academy product to be selected in Monday night’s draft. The Southport Sharks junior boasts a balance of offensive and defensive traits as a rebound defender and was incredibly consistent throughout her draft year, earning All Australian honours in defence alongside new SUNS AFLW teammate Georja Davies.