ZEKE Uwland, a contender for the No.1 pick at this year's Telstra AFL Draft, is set for a managed start to this season due to a back injury.
Uwland has been working through the back issue recently, with the classy left-footer and Gold Coast Academy member to be sidelined over the next short period.
There were concerns the midfielder, whose older brother Bodhi had a breakout year for the Suns in 2024, could face a significant time out of action in his draft season however his return to the field is expected to be much sooner.
The Marsh AFL Academy will face a VFL opponent in April as part of its Academy program, which will be a target for Uwland, with the Suns Academy to compete in the early rounds of the Coates Talent League before then.
'Zeke the Freak' put his name on the radar as a genuine candidate as the best player in the 2025 draft pool as a 17-year-old, with the classy left-footer being a ball magnet who won selection in the under-18 All-Australian team for his performances for the Allies at the national carnival.
He also claimed the Hunter Harrison Medal as the best player of the Academy series, and got a taste of the VFL with the Suns late in the season, when he delivered a long-bomb goal from the centre square.
The Errol Gulden-type is tied to Gold Coast through its Academy and the Suns have already been preparing for an early bid to come this season. Bodhi Uwland enjoyed a standout season for the Suns last year, playing 21 games and finishing second in the club's best and fairest as a tough and versatile defender.
