Season recap:

Lachie Weller played every match in 2018 after crossing to the SUNS from Fremantle and was used in a variety of roles across half-back and through the midfield. After taking some time to settle into the side, the 22-year-old finished the season strongly and began to influence games more to earn a third-place finish in the Club Champion award. His pace stood out, with the ability to break lines and accelerate away from stoppages proving important.

 

Best performances:

The Round 18 upset win over Sydney was Weller’s best performance in SUNS colours, with 23 possessions and two big goals from outside 50m earning him three Brownlow votes. He was also among the best for Gold Coast in the narrow loss to the Saints where he had 19 touches, six rebound 50s and five inside 50s.

 

Moment of the season:

With the SUNS recording a stunning win against the Swans at the SCG, Weller was front and centre as he kicked the match-sealing goal.

 

What’s next?

Entering his fifth year of senior football, Weller will be keen to take his game to the next level. He has spoken of his desire to become an elite wingman of the competition, so a big pre-season where he can improve his fitness even more could see him spend more time in the midfield in 2019.

 

From the coach:

“Lachie has been great in his first year at the club. We were excited about what Lachie could bring to the team when we picked him up from Freo, and as the season wore on he really started to give us a glimpse of what he can do. We tried him at half-back and on the wing and he was able to perform well in both those positions. He’s said he wants to take his game to the next level in 2019 and we’re hoping he can do that to develop into an elite player for our club.” – Stuart Dew

 

By the numbers: