The Gold Coast SUNS has locked away its core group of players for the upcoming NAB AFLW Season Seven.

22 players from last season will once again find themselves on the SUNS AFLW playing list ahead of the upcoming season which will commence in late August.

Gold Coast SUNS Head of Women’s Football Fiona Sessarago said the club was thrilled to retain an important core group of players.

“Heading into this off-season, we knew expansion teams were coming in and were prepared that other clubs would be looking to attract our players,” Sessarago said.

“Pleasingly, we have been able to protect our young and developing players from expansion and look forward to continuing to build on the foundations we have established.

“All our players have bought in to our AFLW program and are committed to achieving success together as a group.

“We are extremely excited by the playing group we have for next season and can’t wait to get to work in the pre-season.”

Joining the 22 locked in is new trade recruit Courtney Jones who came to the SUNS from Carlton, as well as mature-age recruits Georgia Clayden, Gabrielle Biedenweg-Webster and Krystal Scott, while the SUNS also picked up Tahlia Meyer as a delisted free agent.

Jade Pregelj, who ruptured her ACL in February, has been moved to the inactive list for the upcoming season, giving the SUNS four list spots available ahead of the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft on Wednesday June 29.

Gold Coast SUNS AFLW players retained:

#1 Ellie Hampson
#2 Lauren Bella
#3 Tori Groves-Little
#4 Claudia Whitfort
#7 Lauren Ahrens
#8 Charlie Rowbottom
#9 Shannon Danckert
#10 Annise Bradfield
#12 Tara Bohanna
#13 Lucy Single
#14 Serene Watson
#15 Wallis Randell
#17 Jamie Stanton
#19 Ashanti Bush
#20 Daisy D’Arcy
#22 Giselle Davies
#23 Kalinda Howarth
#27 Jacqui Dupuy
#30 Bess Keaney
#33 Ali Drennan
#39 Viv Saad
#42 Jade Pregelj

Gold Coast SUNS new AFLW recruits

Courtney Jones
Georgia Clayden
Gabrielle Biedenweg-Webster
Krystal Scott
Tahlia Meyer

Gold Coast SUNS 2022 NAB AFLW Draft selections:
19 (Round 1), 34 (Round 1), 53 (Round 3), 69 (Round 4), 81 (Round 4), 87 (Round 5)