Gold Coast will unleash another academy graduate when exciting forward Leo Lombard makes his AFL debut in the Suns' clash with Fremantle.
Taken with pick nine in last year's draft, Lombard likely would have made his debut sooner but needed shoulder surgery after hurting himself in a pre-season game.
Gold Coast needed to match a bid from St Kilda during the draft to hang on to their highly regarded academy product.
Lombard featured in the Suns' 2023 VFL premiership when he was still only 16.
The announcement of the 18-year-old's first game comes just two days after Gold Coast and St Kilda traded barbs over the northern academies.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick fired back at Ross Lyon after his St Kilda counterpart referred to the Suns as the "AFL nepo baby".
Asked before the bounce about the looming tactical battle with Hardwick, Lyon told Fox Footy: "I'm a little bit concerned. They're choc-full of talent aren't they, the AFL nepo baby?"
Lyon's comment was delivered with a laugh, but Hardwick certainly didn't see the funny side.
"What St Kilda should do is make sure they focus on their own backyard instead of trying to bring everyone else down," Hardwick retorted.
Suns chief executive Mark Evans and former club chairman Tony Cochrane also slammed Lyon's comments.
Star Gold Coast defender Sam Collins took a cheeky jab back at Lyon.
"The last opinion I took of his was when he delisted me (at Fremantle) so I don't care for his opinion anymore," Collins told reporters on Tuesday.
St Kilda president Andrew Bassat has been arguably the most vocal critic of the northern academies in NSW and Queensland.
