Lions vs Suns: Who Wins the Dynasty Race?

Back-to-back premiers against the club that just made its first finals. Both loaded with young Aussie Rules talent. Both building something. But which Queensland club gives your GDS Fantasy dynasty squad the best long-term upside?

We pulled the data from the 2024 and 2025 seasons, benchmarked every young gun against the league’s best at their position, and built the case for which team’s cards you should be targeting before the market catches up.

The Benchmarks

Before we get into the players, here are the 2025 GDS averages for the 10th-ranked player at each position (5th for rucks). These thresholds are where cards become harder to acquire and values spike. But they’re not the only thing that matters. A player trending from 60 to 90 GDS in one season is just as valuable to your dynasty squad as one sitting at 115 and holding steady. Growth rate matters.

Position	Top 10 Cutoff	Player at 10th
DEF	109.8	Christian Salem
MID	118.7	Matt Rowell
FWD	98.8	Jy Simpkin
RUK (T5)	116.6	Darcy Cameron

Brisbane Lions: The Proven Dynasty

Brisbane’s young core already has two premiership medallions. That matters because winning teams develop players faster. Higher TOG, bigger roles, more finals exposure. The data backs it up.

Will Ashcroft (21, MID) is the headline act. A 110.7 GDS average in 2025 with a 51% CBA share across 23 games. That’s up from 100.7 in 2024 when he only managed 13 games returning from his ACL. The trajectory is clear: disposals jumped from 22.8 to 27.1, CBA share grew from 33% to 51%, and his TOG climbed from 77% to 82%.

He’s sitting just 8 points behind the top-10 MID cutoff of 118.7. Two Norm Smith Medals before turning 22 tells you the ceiling hasn’t been reached. This is a top-5 midfield asset in dynasty formats. If you don’t own his card, you’re already behind.

Levi Ashcroft (19, MID) played all 23 games in his debut season and averaged 89.1 GDS points. At 19. That’s a staggering floor for a teenager in a premiership midfield. His first half was stronger (94.2) than his second (83.5), but that’s expected for a first-year player managing a full season. His disposal average of 19.9 and mark average of 4.6 show he’s already winning his own ball. The CBA share is minimal (4%), which is actually the exciting part. He’s producing 89 points without significant centre bounce access. When that share inevitably grows as Neale (32) and Dunkley (29) age out of their prime windows, Levi’s scoring ceiling jumps considerably. Even if he never cracks the top 10, an 89-point teenager with a clear runway to 100+ is a dynasty asset you want on your squad.

Jaspa Fletcher (22, DEF) made the biggest single-season leap of any player across both clubs. His GDS average surged from 69.1 in 2024 to 98.4 in 2025. That’s a 42% increase, driven by a role shift into a genuine half-back distributor. His disposals jumped from 14.6 to 21.2, his TOG from 74% to 82%, and his second half of 2025 was even better at 102.6. The marking volume is what makes him special: 6.7 marks per game, which is elite intercept volume in Brisbane’s system where the ball regularly funnels through the back line. His role is locked in a back-to-back premiership side. Fletcher is a strong buy, and his cards are likely still priced on 2024 output.

Darcy Wilmot (22, DEF) averaged 94.8 GDS in 2025, up from 88.4 in 2024. Consistent, steady growth. His second-half split of 100.2 shows he’s building toward premium defensive territory. With 19.9 disposals, 5.9 marks, and 82% TOG across 23 games, the volume is real. Either way, a 22-year-old defender averaging 95 in a premiership side is someone you want locked in your dynasty squad.

Logan Morris (20, FWD) is the goal-kicking machine. He averaged 2.2 goals per game in 2025 and booted 53 for the season. His GDS average rose from 51.6 to 69.5, and his second-half split of 75.0 shows the trend is still climbing. At 20, he’s already a regular in a premiership forward line. Morris doesn’t need to be a top-10 forward to be valuable. A 20-year-old kicking 2+ goals per game in a dominant team, whose TOG (78.6%) is still growing, is a card that will cost you a lot more in 12 months than it does now.

Daniel Annable (18, Brisbane Academy, Pick 6) is the fresh face to watch. The Lions’ 2025 draft headline, Annable is a clean inside midfielder who rarely plays a bad game. He managed 8 VFL games while still draft-eligible and has been compared to a younger version of the Ashcrofts by multiple scouts. Brisbane’s midfield depth means he won’t walk into 23 games immediately, but there’s a clear succession plan here. He’s a long-term stash for patient dynasty coaches.

Gold Coast Suns: The Rising Tide

The Suns made their first finals in 2025, won a thriller against Fremantle, and have loaded up this off-season with Christian Petracca and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. The talent injection changes the dynamic. Better midfield supply means better forward scoring. And critically, losing Sam Flanders (traded to St Kilda), Ben Ainsworth, and Connor Budarick from the forward line has opened up significant opportunity for the next wave.

Matt Rowell (24, MID) is the crown jewel. The 2025 Brownlow medallist averaged 118.7 GDS points, and his second half of 2025 was elite at 126.8. That second-half number puts him in the top 5 mids in the competition. He went from 108.8 in 2024 to 118.7 in 2025, and at 24, his prime scoring years are right in front of him. The CBA share of 81% is locked in. He’ll miss the first few rounds of 2026 after finger surgery from Origin, but that changes nothing long-term. If anything, it might create a small buying window.

Noah Anderson (25, MID) is the captain and another elite mid at 116.6 GDS. He averaged 30.2 disposals with an 86% CBA share. His output was remarkably consistent: 119.5 in the first half, 113.8 in the second. At 25, he’s in his scoring prime and will be there for 5+ more years. The arrival of Petracca and Clayton Oliver creates an interesting dynamic. More competition for CBAs could slightly limit their ceiling, or it could mean both get more time on the outside where disposal volume grows. Worth monitoring early in the season.

Bailey Humphrey (21, FWD) is the breakout everyone needs to pay attention to. His GDS average jumped from 52.9 in 2024 to 79.9 in 2025. That’s a 51% increase. The key driver? CBA share rocketed from 8.4% to 39.4%. He’s a forward getting genuine midfield minutes, and that’s the most valuable profile in GDS Fantasy. His tackles (4.2 per game) show he’s doing the hard work. At 21, with a CBA share still growing, the trajectory points toward 90+ in 2026. The departure of Flanders means there are more midfield minutes available in that forward-mid rotation. Humphrey is a strong buy.

Joel Jeffrey (23, DEF) went from 70.5 GDS in 12 games in 2024 to 90.3 across a full 23-game season in 2025. Disposals up from 16.6 to 18.9, marks steady at 5.7, and TOG growing from 73% to 77%. That 20-point jump in one year shows the growth rate is real. Even if Jeffrey settles around 90-95 long-term, that’s a reliable DEF scorer locked into a rising team.

Bodhi Uwland (22, DEF) is the steady presence. His average only moved from 72.4 to 74.8, but the 86.7% TOG tells you the role is secure. He’s switched to guernsey #6 for 2026.

Uwland’s ceiling may be capped below the elite tier, but consistent 75-point defenders with locked roles still have value in deeper dynasty formats.

Mac Andrew (22, DEF) is the wildcard. His GDS average dropped from 77.6 to 67.2, but he played 91.9% TOG in 2025, the highest of any young player on either list. He’s spoken publicly about wanting to play 50-50 forward and back. If Gold Coast finds a way to get him meaningful forward time, his scoring profile changes dramatically. He’s a speculative hold.

The Young Forward Factory: The Suns have a stack of young forwards still developing, and the departures of Flanders, Ainsworth, and Budarick have blown the door wide open. Ethan Read (20) jumped from 25.8 to 51.7 GDS with 13.5% CBAs. He won the club’s first 2km time trial this preseason. Jed Walter (20) went from 40.8 to 45.3 with 1.1 goals. Will Graham (20) averaged 64.9 across 8 games with 19.3% CBAs. And Leo Lombard is tipped by AFL.com.au as the Suns’ breakout player for 2026. These are all stash-tier assets with real runway.

The Draft Class Factor

This is where Gold Coast pulls away in the dynasty conversation. The Suns’ 2025 draft haul was extraordinary: four Academy graduates in the top 20 picks. That kind of draft capital doesn’t happen often, and it loads the long-term pipeline.

Zeke Uwland (18, Pick 2) is the standout. The highest-ever male Academy draft pick for the Suns, Uwland is an elite runner with clean skills who was the only bottom-ager named in the 2024 Under 18 All Australian team. He also won the prestigious Hunter Harrison Medal that year. Despite being hampered by injury through parts of 2025, he averaged 16.5 disposals across 4 VFL games late in the season. He joins brother Bodhi at the club, which is a meaningful retention factor. The Suns’ recruiting boss highlighted his aerobic capacity and ball-winning ability as attributes that will translate under Hardwick’s system. Uwland is a genuine long-term dynasty stash. He won’t produce headline GDS numbers immediately, but the draft pedigree and running profile scream future premium.

Dylan Patterson (18, Pick 5) brings elite raw speed and power from half-back. He earned All Australian honours at both Under 16 and Under 18 levels and has already played 11 VFL games across two seasons. His dashing style from half-back fits perfectly into the modern GDS DEF scoring model where disposals and marks drive value.

Jai Murray (18, Pick 17) is a versatile midfielder/defender, while Beau Addinsall (18, Pick 18) is a rugged midfielder. Both are Academy graduates with preseason injuries that will delay their debuts, but the draft capital invested tells you the club rates them highly. Koby Coulson (18, Pick 46) rounds out the class. An Under 18 All Australian who models his game on teammate Matt Rowell.

Brisbane’s 2025 draft was more modest by comparison. Daniel Annable (Pick 6) is a genuine talent, but after that the Lions went much later: Koby Evans (Pick 38), Cody Curtin (Pick 43), and Tai Hayes (Pick 44) are all longer-term projects. Brisbane’s dynasty strength comes from the 2021-2024 draft classes that are already producing (the Ashcrofts, Fletcher, Wilmot, Morris, Marshall), not the latest intake.

Gold Coast’s pipeline runs deeper and younger. Five Academy products from the same draft class is a dynasty goldmine.

GDS Under 22’s: Where These Clubs Dominate

Here’s where it gets really interesting for GDS coaches. The Under 22’s is a specialty competition on GameDay Squad, and both these Queensland clubs are stacked with eligible players heading into 2026. If you’re building squads for that comp, this section is for you.

Brisbane’s Under 22 eligible players include Will Ashcroft (21), Levi Ashcroft (19), Jaspa Fletcher (22), Darcy Wilmot (22), Logan Morris (20), Sam Marshall (20), Kai Lohmann (22), Will McLachlan (20), and first-year Daniel Annable (18). That’s an absurd amount of quality. Will Ashcroft at 110.7 GDS is likely the best Under 22 eligible mid in the entire comp. Fletcher at 98.4 gives you a premium defender. Wilmot at 94.8 gives you another. And Levi Ashcroft at 89.1 adds even more midfield depth. You could fill nearly half an Under 22’s squad with Lions players alone and have a competitive team.

Gold Coast’s Under 22 pool is equally loaded but tilts younger with more upside. Bailey Humphrey (21), Bodhi Uwland (22), Mac Andrew (22), Ethan Read (20), Jed Walter (20), Will Graham (20), Jake Rogers (20), plus the entire 2025 draft class: Zeke Uwland (18), Dylan Patterson (18), Jai Murray (18), Beau Addinsall (18), and Koby Coulson (18). The sheer volume of Suns players eligible for this comp is massive.

For Under 22’s strategy, the Lions give you the higher floor. Will Ashcroft, Fletcher, and Wilmot are proven GDS producers you can lock in with confidence. The Suns give you more volume and more ceiling plays. Humphrey’s CBA growth makes him a round-winner in a shallow comp, and the cluster of 20-year-old forwards provides depth you can’t get from many other clubs.

Between these two clubs, you can build the spine of a dominant Under 22’s squad. The smart play is to own cards from both.

The Verdict: Position by Position

Midfield: Gold Coast wins. Rowell (24) and Anderson (25) are both elite mids with years of prime scoring ahead. Brisbane has Will Ashcroft (21) trending that way, and Levi Ashcroft (19) is an exciting long-term prospect, but neither is there yet. The Suns’ midfield duo is the best dynasty pairing at the position in the comp.

Defence: Brisbane gets the edge. Fletcher’s 42% year-on-year GDS jump was the biggest across both clubs, and his 6.7 marks per game show the scoring is role-driven and sustainable. Wilmot provides a strong second option. Jeffrey is the Suns’ best young defender at 90.3, but the Lions’ defensive development pipeline is more advanced. Patterson’s draft pedigree (Pick 5) narrows this gap long-term.

Forwards: Gold Coast takes it on volume and upside. Humphrey’s CBA growth profile is the best forward trajectory across both clubs. Brisbane has Morris as a genuine goal-kicker, but Humphrey’s hybrid mid-forward role gives him a higher GDS ceiling. Add in the Suns’ depth of Read, Walter, Graham, Lombard, and the forward spots opened by three departures, and Gold Coast has significantly more paths to producing breakout forwards.

Ruck: Neither club has a young ruck prospect worth targeting. Both rely on veterans. This is a wash.

Draft Pipeline: Gold Coast wins this decisively. Four Academy products in the top 20 of the 2025 draft, led by Zeke Uwland at Pick 2, gives the Suns a dynasty pipeline that most clubs can only dream of. Brisbane’s Annable is a quality addition, but the depth of Gold Coast’s intake is on another level.

Final Call

Gold Coast Suns win the dynasty race, but Brisbane’s proven core keeps it closer than the raw numbers suggest.

The Suns’ advantage comes from three places: the Rowell-Anderson midfield combination, Humphrey’s forward breakout, and the extraordinary 2025 draft class led by Zeke Uwland. Having two locked-in elite mids aged 24 and 25, a 21-year-old forward with surging CBAs, and five Academy draft picks is a dynasty foundation most clubs would kill for.

Brisbane’s strength is the proven path. Will Ashcroft is a legitimate top-5 dynasty mid in the making. Fletcher and Wilmot are tracking toward premium DEF status. Morris is a 20-year-old kicking bags in a premiership team. And every one of these players has won two flags, which means they’re playing in a system that maximises development and guarantees high TOG.

If you’re building a dynasty squad right now, target Rowell and Anderson cards as your midfield anchors. Buy Humphrey before his CBA growth forces the market to price him as a premium. Don’t sleep on Fletcher, whose 42% year-on-year jump was the biggest on either list. And stash Zeke Uwland cards now while they’re cheap, because a Pick 2 Academy product on a rising team doesn’t stay affordable for long.

If you’re running an Under 22’s squad, own cards from both clubs. The Lions give you the proven floor. The Suns give you the ceiling.

The Queensland dynasty arms race is real. Get your cards sorted now.