GOLD Coast young gun Leo Lombard is set to return in the VFL this Saturday after recovering from shoulder surgery, but Will Graham – another SUNS academy product – is facing three months on the sidelines after the game saving act against the Western Bulldogs. 

Lombard was on track for an Opening Round debut before injuring his shoulder when he crunched Levi Ashcroft in a bump during a practice match against Brisbane. 

The 18-year-old will face Box Hill at People First Stadium on Saturday after Damien Hardwick’s side hosts Hawthorn at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Thursday night. 

Lombard will need to build some match conditioning in the VFL, but is expected to start knocking on the door of senior selection very quickly. 

The 2024 No.9 pick played in Gold Coast’s VFL premiership in 2023 at the age of just 16 and then enhanced his standing in the draft pool last year by winning the Larke Medal, awarded to the best player in the under-18 national championships.

Graham will undergo surgery this week after subluxing his shoulder in the dying moments of the game at TIO Stadium last Saturday night before putting his body on the line seconds later. 

SUNS coach Damien Hardwick has pointed out that moment three times since it happened, but unfortunately the second-year bull is now facing at least 10 weeks on the sidelines. 

Gold Coast hopes to regain the 19-year-old by the end of July, just in time for a push towards what would be the club’s maiden finals series.

Gold Coast had seven academy players playing against the Western Bulldogs last weekend – Graham, Jed Walter, Jake Rogers, Bodhi Uwland, Joel Jeffrey, Malcolm Rosas and Sam Clohesy – and now Lombard won’t be far away from joining them.

The SUNS also just won their eighth straight game at TIO Stadium since the club started the partnership with the Northern Territory in 2022.