Ben King, Toby Greene, Jed Walter latest, expansion clubs state of play, ENGIE Stadium unavailable for start of 2027, analysis

The 2026 season was meant to be about contention for Gold Coast and GWS. Instead, it has quickly become about what comes next.

With identical 7-9 records and several franchise-defining contract decisions looming at both clubs, the AFL’s expansion sides are entering one of the most significant off-seasons since they joined the competition.

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While both clubs still have time to salvage their seasons, attention has already shifted towards the list decisions that could define their next premiership push. The Suns are anxiously waiting on a decision from both Ben King and Jed Walter, who have each been offered seven-figure deals that are two and five years in length respectively.

Add in rival clubs who are chasing Bailey Humphrey, Joel Jeffrey and Charlie Ballard — among others — and Damien Hardwick’s club has a fair bit on their hands on a player movement front.

The Giants face a similarly fascinating list management period, with a number of interesting names still out of contract including the likes of Toby Greene, Kieran Briggs, Max Gruzewski, Jake Riccardi, Jesse Hogan, and Jake Stringer.

While Hogan and Stringer are expected to stay for now, Greene, Briggs, Gruzewski, Riccardi and others have attracted rival interest

Right now though, Gold Coast’s campaign has unravelled amid a shock six-game losing streak, only a few months after being widely tipped as the competition’s early premiership favourite.

Adam Kingsley’s side, meanwhile, has teased its best with stunning wins over premiership contenders, only to undermine that progress with frustrating inconsistency; albeit heavily influenced by a brutal injury list.

While both clubs find themselves in similar positions on the ladder, the challenges confronting each are markedly different.

SUNS IN THE GUN

Gold Coast’s season has unravelled at a remarkable rate.

After ending a decade-and-a-half finals drought and earning the club’s first finals victory in 2025, the Suns entered this season tipped by many as genuine premiership contenders.

Instead, a six-game losing streak has seen Damien Hardwick’s side emphatically plummet from genuine premiership contender to fighting simply to secure a wildcard berth.

The slide has exposed concerns over the Suns’ midfield, despite boasting one of the competition’s most talented on-ball groups. Led by Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell for multiple years now, the arrival of Christian Petracca last October was supposed to elevate an already elite midfield into the competition’s benchmark.

Instead, while Anderson has stood tall, the engine room around him has failed to consistently fire.

Questions around effort and consistency have mounted, fuelled by reports of growing internal frustrations during the ongoing losing streak.

Hardwick has attempted to downplay the external noise, insisting the club’s robust internal discussions are simply part of a high-performance environment and “big boy conversations”.

Those concerns are reflected in one alarming statistic.

“They go a couple of goals up early in the second term (against Collingwood), then they concede four goals, and they’re two down at half time,” Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson told First Crack on Sunday night.

“So, I started to look at the streaks they’re starting to concede as a footy club. For the most three plus goal streaks conceded over the competition, they sit fourth with 30 for the season.

“Essendon (31), Richmond (35) and West Coast (36) sitting down the bottom of the ladder have only conceded more when it comes to those three plus goal streaks.

First Crack host Jay Clark added: “There’s questions on the leadership with these sorts of runs.”

CAN THE SUNS KEEP THE BAND TOGETHER?

Gold Coast’s on-field slide has only heightened the importance of an already pivotal off-season.

Hardwick’s club has several key list decisions to navigate, headlined by the futures of key forwards Ben King and Jed Walter, who remain out of contract beyond 2026.

Both have been tabled lucrative long-term offers as the Suns look to lock away the pillars of their forward line for years to come. Industry sources believe King’s decision has narrowed to two options: a long-term deal at Hawthorn, or a shorter two-year extension to remain at Gold Coast.

King is the kingpin here.

Given he and Walter occupy similar roles inside 50, any decision he makes will directly shape Walter’s future. The longer King’s contract remains unresolved, the more time Essendon — and several other rival clubs — have to continue their pursuit of Walter, with the Bombers prepared to table a seven-figure deal across five years.

The challenge doesn’t stop there.

Rival clubs are also monitoring the futures of emerging stars Bailey Humphrey, Joel Jeffrey and Charlie Ballard, with each attracting varying levels of interest ahead of the trade period.

Humphrey has been strongly linked with a return to Victoria for close to 12 months, with Melbourne and Hawthorn leading the chase. Foxfooty.com.au first reported West Coast’s interest in Jeffrey last month after earlier links to St Kilda, while Ballard remains another player opposition clubs are expected to inquire about once the season concludes.

And as was the case last year, the Suns could again lose valuable depth.

Alex Davies has attracted interest from West Coast and multiple Victorian clubs, while Jake Rogers is another player whose future will be worth monitoring. Foxfooty.com.au revealed in mid-May that Davies was open to exploring opportunities away from Carrara should the right offer arise.

For a club that has spent more than a decade assembling one of the AFL’s most talented young lists, the coming months await as its biggest retention test yet. Holding together the core that finally delivered the club’s maiden finals win may prove just as important as any recruit the Suns have landed since entering the competition.

THE GIANT WAITING GAME

Just as the Suns confront their most high-profile retention test in years, a similar challenge now awaits the Giants following their own mid-season hurdles.

Without jumping the gun too quickly, the Giants look to be back on the horse after an emphatic 21-point win over ladder-leaders Fremantle last Saturday, ending their remarkable 14-game winning streak.

But contract calls from two key forwards in particular — Max Gruzewski and Jake Riccardi — are ironically being held up (to some degree) by Gold Coast’s own Ben King.

We had the ruck merry-go-round last season, and this year there’s a mini key defender merry-go-round. But make no mistake, there absolutely is one for the key forwards of the game too.

Nine’s Sam McClure reported in May that Gruzewski’s future as a Giant was directly tied to veteran Jesse Hogan; who, while remaining unsigned as an unrestricted free agent, has not been linked elsewhere.

Should that eventuate, however, it would likely spell the end of Gruzewski’s time at the Giants.

The 21-year-old has shown promising signs when given opportunities at AFL level, but with Hogan, Aaron Cadman and veteran Jake Stringer (who is expected to sign another short-term deal) all ahead of him in the pecking order, Victorian clubs are expected to present a more appealing pathway to regular senior football.

Riccardi’s future has been talked about less, but is equally intriguing.

Foxfooty.com.au has previously revealed Hawthorn has been monitoring the 26-year-old from afar, with the Hawks viewing him as a potential option should their Plan A for key position stocks fall through.

Their level of interest in Riccardi could ultimately hinge on two separate decisions.

Should Ben King recommit to Gold Coast, Hawthorn would remain alert for an established key forward. But, if unrestricted free agent Mitch Lewis departs Dingley at season’s end, the opening becomes far more notable.

Despite still having veteran Jack Gunston and emerging tall Calsher Dear, the Hawks would suddenly have room for a ready-made key forward entering his prime, making Riccardi a compelling target.

While those decisions continue to unfold, the Giants also have an even bigger contract to finalise.

Captain Toby Greene remains unsigned beyond 2026 despite the club reportedly tabling a three-year deal worth around $2 million.

The Giants’ all-time games record holder has repeatedly stated he is committed to the club, telling Fox Footy’s AFL 360 he is “completely locked in” and focused solely on finishing the season strongly.

Geelong is considered the Victorian club best placed should Greene ever decide to return home, while Hawthorn has also been loosely linked as a potential suitor if family considerations prompt a move.

His status shapes as the most significant unresolved contract saga at the Giants.

AND THE OTHER BIG NAME ABSENT…

The club is also still without a permanent chief executive, with Dave Matthews set to depart at the end of the 2026 season after more than 15 years in the role.

A formal search is underway, but the board has yet to name his successor as the Giants navigate a critical period of transition.

As reported by Herald Sun Chief Football Reporter Jay Clark back in May, footy boss Jason McCartney, is out of the running to take over from Matthews — despite being believed to be a favoured candidate.

The Age’s Jake Niall reports former GWS senior staffer James Avery and ex-AFL executive Ben Buckley are among the candidates for the CEO role.

The impending change at the top adds another layer of uncertainty to off-field challenges, buttThe CEO search is only one off-field issue facing the club.

ENGIE Stadium will again be unavailable for six weeks at the start of the 2027 season due to the Royal Easter Show, leaving the club scrambling for stability as they push hard to keep their premiership window wide open.

With crowds at ENGIE often modest and the venue frequently shared with big-ticket concerts and exhibitions, the Giants face persistent questions about venue security and long-term viability in western Sydney.