The Gold Coast SUNS have re-signed 22-year-old ruckman Tom Nicholls, extending his contract until the end of 2016.

Nicholls, who has played 15 games for the GC SUNS, has extended his commitment for a further two seasons, joining Steven May, David Swallow, Sam Day, Brandon Matera, Kade Kolodjashnij, Sean Lemmens, Danny Stanley, Jarrod Harbrow and Alex Sexton in re-signing with the club.

Of Fijian heritage, Nicholls was recruited to the Gold Coast as a 17-year-old access selection in 2010.

Last season Nicholls demonstrated he had all the tricks to be a long-term ruck prospect for the SUNS stringing together eight matches, picking up a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination before injury ended his 2013 campaign.

At 201cm and 98kg, Nicholls started the 2014 season where he left off in 2013, leading from the front before his season was once again cut short after sustaining a posterior cruciate ligament injury against North Melbourne in Round 7.

Nicholls told goldcoastfc.com.au he was extremely happy to re-commit to the Gold Coast SUNS.

“I’m loving my time on the Gold Coast, we have a really close group of players and we are all excited in the direction the club is heading. I’m looking forward to getting over my injury and playing consistent football in the near future.

“As a team we know we still have plenty of improvement and hard work ahead of us and hopefully we’ll reap the benefits of that in the coming years,” he said.

General Manager – Football Operations, Marcus Ashcroft was pleased to confirm Nicholls’ contract extension and credited Nicholls's manager, Ned Guy, for facilitating a smooth negotiation.

“We are rapt that Tom has re-committed to the club until the end of 2016,” Ashcroft said.

“Tom is a quality young man, who is well respected by his teammates and has started to build a reputation as an emerging leader internally. Despite a couple of injury setbacks he has taken significant steps forward in recent times and we look forward to his continued progression as a player.”