Sam Flanders

Selected by Gold Coast with pick 11 in the 2019 National Draft, Sam Flanders arrived from the Gippsland Power with high expectations as an explosive midfielder-forward. His early years at the Suns were defined by inconsistency and a struggle to lock down a permanent role, often drifting in and out of the side while playing predominantly as a small forward. However, a positional switch during the latter half of his tenure saw him reinvent himself as a prolific ball-winner across half-back and the midfield, demonstrating an elite capacity to accumulate possessions and link play from defensive 50. Following a breakout period where he established himself as a key distributor, Flanders requested a trade to St Kilda at the conclusion of the 2025 season to return to his native Victoria, arriving at Moorabbin to add composure and accumulation to the Saints' rotation.