GOLD Coast is set to secure a significant re-signing, with exciting small forward Malcolm Rosas poised to turn his back on heavy interest from Essendon and commit his future to the Suns.
AFL.com.au understands Rosas will ink a two-year deal with Gold Coast, taking him through until at least the end of the 2023 campaign, having broken through for his senior debut earlier this season.
Rosas, the first player drafted to Gold Coast through the Darwin region of the club's Academy in 2019, had garnered significant attention from Essendon ahead of this year's Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period.
TRADE HUB All the latest player movement news
But the talented 20-year-old has instead opted to remain with Stuart Dew's side, where he played four AFL games throughout the 2021 campaign.
Rosas, a 175cm small forward, is seen as a player with enormous potential and impressed during a series of promising performances at VFL level with the Suns during the early stages of this year.
He kicked 3.7 from seven games at reserves level, but enjoyed a standout 30-disposal and seven-tackle outing playing through the midfield against Aspley in July.
As reported by AFL.com.au last month, Gold Coast is now expected to turn its attentions towards a busy trade period and has interest in uncontracted St Kilda ball magnet Luke Dunstan.
However, while they're open to the possibility of recruiting the South Australian midfielder, it's likely to be as a delisted free agent or via a rookie selection to avoid giving up draft picks in a trade.
Rosas was the final uncontracted member within Gold Coast's primary list of 38 players, meaning they will now need to move at least three players from the senior to the rookie list for the 2022 season.
WHO'S CALLED IT QUITS 2021's retirements and delistings
Clubs were last year permitted to move up two players from the senior list to rookie list to avoid them being available to all clubs in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft. However, that option has been scrapped this season.
Recent retirees Zac Smith, Jarrod Harbrow, Jordan Murdoch and Jack Hombsch were all rookie-listed in 2021 and won't impact numbers on the senior list.