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The Suns Academy product is widely regarded as a likely top five selection at this year\u2019s draft and there\u2019s a high chance he slots straight into Damien Hardwick\u2019s round one side in 2026.<\/p>\n
But he\u2019s so much more than just a footballer.<\/p>\n
Uwland, who finished his schooling at All Saints Anglican School last year, has been studying a law and commerce degree at Griffith University this year. Plenty of 18-year-olds dream of becoming a footballer, or a lawyer, but not many can say they\u2019re living both dreams at the same time.<\/p>\n
When Uwland doesn\u2019t have his head down in his studies, he splits his time between working as a paralegal at a law firm and as an auditor in Burleigh. His diligent training regime with the Sherrin, plus the time he\u2019s taking to set himself up off-field, is already paying dividends.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe average AFL career is only four years, I want to prepare myself for that as best I can. I\u2019d love to stay in footy, but what role that would be in I\u2019m not sure,\u201d he told foxfooty.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always want to be a corporate lawyer, I definitely want to do that one day. I wouldn\u2019t let anything stop me there because I\u2019m really bullish on getting that dream alive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 03: Zeke Uwland poses during the Telstra AFL Draft Combine Headshots Session at Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 03, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy it. I\u2019ve always been pretty studious and I love studying. That\u2019s my main time filler when I have some spare time. I\u2019ve supplemented that with some work experience as well, I\u2019ve done a bit of law work at a local small firm and did a bit of auditing for a self-management fund as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been really particular about things and want to get to the bottom of them. I\u2019ve always enjoyed looking at discrepancies in things and articulating words to construct an argument.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like a lot of youngsters who study law, Uwland is also a big fan of the TV show Suits. The balance he\u2019s struck with his studies and footy this year has held him in good stead, particularly when his season was over before it ever well and truly began.<\/p>\n
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – JULY 03: Zeke Uwland of Gold Coast runs with the ball during the AFL National Development Championships U16 boys match between Gold Coast Suns and Tasmania at Heritage Bank Stadium on July 03, 2023 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts\/AFL Photos\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
THE \u2018CHALLENGING\u2019 INJURY THAT DIDN\u2019T SINK IN AT FIRST<\/p>\n
Uwland\u2019s 2025 campaign was turned upside down pretty quickly after one phone call during a pre-season camp. <\/p>\n
At first, the devastating news didn\u2019t sink in for Uwland, who had a stress fracture in his back. He was put on ice for the season, more as a precaution than anything else and turned his attention to rehabilitation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt sore, it wasn\u2019t really anything major but pretty sore and it had built up over time,\u201d he began.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was weird, I was in a bit of shock. I still remember being told, we were on a pre-season camp and I got a call from the physio. I was like, \u2018rightio, what now?\u2019 It probably didn\u2019t sink in for a few weeks that I was in it for the long run.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got so much support around me with my family. Bodhi went through a similar thing and I had other things going on in my life that I could turn to like study and work\u2026 I\u2019d rather it now than down the track.\u201d<\/p>\n
That support network helped him realign his focuses and goals for the year, but he had to find a way to fix himself as well, to give himself the best chance at playing footy again next year.<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 12: Zeke Uwland of the AFL National Academy poses during the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys Jumper Presentation at Mercure Albert Park on April 12, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Enter Matt Taylor, the athletic performance coach at the Suns. Often in the footy world it\u2019s the star players or the head coaches that get all the accolades, but Taylor\u2019s work with Uwland has been so influential. <\/p>\n
The high performance athletics guru has helped Uwland develop his acceleration, speed and agility but that\u2019s just the start of the impact Taylor has had on the young Sun. It was Taylor who introduced Uwland to Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilitization (DNS).<\/p>\n
DNS is an approach to rehabilitation that activates natural movement patterns by stimulating the brain\u2019s movement control centres. It\u2019s not very well known, in fact someone once told Uwland that there\u2019s only about 100 people in Australia who practice it. Internationally, one of the greatest tennis players of all-time in Novak Djokovic has seeked out the assistance of Dr Pavel Kolar, who is one of the most well-known practitioners in this space.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so weird, I lie on the ground basically and do all these movements, really focusing on my breath. It\u2019s pretty unique,\u201d Uwland said.<\/p>\n
When he first started it, he \u201cfelt like an idiot\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was literally laying on the ground with my feet and arms in the air and I felt like an idiot. It slowly progresses and I\u2019m now doing more and more complex stuff,\u201d Uwland said.<\/p>\n
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 02: Zeke Uwland of the Allies celebrates a goal with team mates during the Marsh AFL National Championships match between U18 Boys Allies and Western Australia at Blacktown International Sportspark on June 02, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jenny Evans\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
It felt weird at first, but now Uwland is reaping the rewards. In particular, it\u2019s helped with his back and core strength. Each \u2018stage\u2019 takes him a week or two to get right. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to do it wrong before you can feel what it\u2019s like when it\u2019s right. It\u2019s astounding how much different it feels when you get it right, it\u2019s fascinating,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always had a pretty bad arch in my back, it\u2019s not bad for me or anything but it was something we\u2019d talked about and he suggested it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked on it pretty hard for those three months I wasn\u2019t running. I think it really helped and I do it before every training session now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not being able to run out onto the footy field during his draft year has been a challenge for Uwland, but he\u2019s still found a way to keep improving himself, even if it isn\u2019t by racking up 30 touches and two goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was challenging, being out for so long. You want to prove yourself, especially in your draft year. It also gives you lots of opportunities as well being injured, some that I wouldn\u2019t have if I was playing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 05: Zeke Uwland running on October 05, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u2018A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE\u2019: THE SILVER LININGS AFTER INJURY TOLL<\/p>\n
Uwland isn\u2019t one to sit on his hands and wait around. As soon as he received the news about his injury, he wanted to know how he could get better and get back as soon as possible. His mind also turned quickly to how he could continue to help make those around him better.<\/p>\n
Uwland has played a key role this season working with the midfield group at the Suns alongside Jarrad Cotton and James Tsitas. He\u2019s not only helped the coaching group simplify their messaging to his teammates, but he\u2019s increased his teammates\u2019 understanding of structures and game plans which has allowed the side to take their game to another level. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s just a small glimpse into the type of person Uwland is like off the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be a really good leader. If you can contribute to the team\u2019s culture, that can be the difference between winning a premiership and just making a prelim. If I can be a good contributor to team culture and environment, that\u2019s something I really want to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past I\u2019ve probably been a bit too direct thinking that everyone\u2019s as like-minded. I\u2019m just learning to adapt to that, it\u2019ll come in time and I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll get better at that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through his coaching, he\u2019s been able to see the game from another lens. You\u2019ll often see at AFL level established senior players, who are keen to tip their toe into coaching post-footy, sit up in the coaches box or on the bench. Think the likes of Sam Docherty or James Sicily for example. It\u2019s not as often a coaching group entrusts a youngster, who hasn\u2019t even been drafted, with the amount of responsibilities the Suns trusted Uwland with.<\/p>\n
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 02: Zeke Uwland of the Allies celebrates a goal with team mates during the Marsh AFL National Championships match between U18 Boys Allies and Western Australia at Blacktown International Sportspark on June 02, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jenny Evans\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really good, you see the game from a different perspective and understand a bit more about the team role and what you can do to optimize team success. It was a great perspective, I think it\u2019s helped my leadership as well just so I can help deliver feedback in better ways for certain individuals,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A key learning that has \u201chit home\u201d this year for Uwland is to be present. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think the biggest one, I got told a couple of years ago by one of my coaches, it\u2019s only really hit home the past year or so. Being where your feet are and nothing\u2019s ever as good or bad as it seems,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially with my back, that was a pretty deflating time but understanding there\u2019s light at the end of the tunnel and everything will be okay and you\u2019ll be able to play footy again. That\u2019s a message I still have with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t get to pull the boots on and dominate the National Championships during his draft year like he might have hoped to, but there\u2019s no denying that Uwland is a better player, and person, now than what he was 12 months ago.<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 05: Zeke Uwland on October 05, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
THE \u2018PRETTY INTENSE\u2019 BACKYARD BATTLES<\/p>\n
Like plenty of other Australian families, the Uwland backyard battles were hectic. Whether it was playing cricket on the road in the street, shooting a basketball or playing footy in the backyard, those battles were competitive. <\/p>\n
\u201cCompetitions were pretty intense growing up all the way through. We still fight it out now. We\u2019d play all sport all day every day, whether it was cricket on the road, footy in the backyard with some goal posts, it was good fun,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
There are four Uwland boys in the family. Bodhi, who has already developed into a key cog under Hardwick having played just 49 games for the Suns, is the eldest. Jarrah is the second eldest and then there\u2019s Zeke and Mali, his twin brother. For as long as Zeke can remember, he\u2019s had a Sherrin in his hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t really remember it to be honest, I was so young. I\u2019ve been playing footy for as long as I can remember. We\u2019ve got a big footy family,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He says his career highlight was winning a flag with Jarrah. Now he hopes he can win one with Bodhi at the Suns.<\/p>\n
\u201cWinning a senior premiership with my local club I grew up playing for. I played in that with Jarrah, hopefully I can do it at AFL level as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 26: Zeke Uwland of the Allies during the 2024 Marsh AFL Championships U18 Boys match between South Australia and Allies at Thebarton Oval on May 26, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Zeke looks up to Bodhi in many ways. He\u2019s the big brother and he\u2019s blazed the path that Zeke himself is now following.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been a big influence, he\u2019s sort of lit the path for me I guess going through the same situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Family is clearly very important to Uwland, who has Dutch heritage on his dad\u2019s side. Uwland\u2019s grandfather and half a dozen siblings moved over to Australia after the World War and there still remains plenty of cousins in Colac. <\/p>\n
While Uwland doesn\u2019t too much of that family, he vividly recalls a time during his childhood where the larger Uwland contingent hire out an entire school camp area. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t really get down there much\u2026 we went down there one year and it was pretty cool. We hire out a big school camp area, there\u2019s at least 50 people that go,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n
Whether it be training sessions together, injury rehab tips, nutrition or any other facet of life, Bodhi\u2019s influence on Zeke has been profound. There\u2019s a genuine chance that they\u2019re lined up alongside each other next year come round one.<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 28: Zeke Uwland of Team Sloane marks the ball during the Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match between Team Heppell and Team Sloane at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on September 28, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u2018GOT TO REMEMBER WHAT THEY\u2019RE THERE FOR\u2019: THE FORGOTTEN ACADEMY MESSAGE<\/p>\n
There\u2019s been plenty of talk, rightly or wrongly, about the Northern Academies this year. The Suns Academy has been pivotal in Uwland\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t thank them enough, I wouldn\u2019t be here without them. Footy was such a minority sport in Queensland growing up, so to have their support and the pathway they provide to the AFL, it holds us in great stead to choose football instead of another sport like rugby league,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Uwland believes he might\u2019ve been wielding the willow if it wasn\u2019t for the Suns pathway. After all, you can\u2019t be what you can\u2019t see.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I would\u2019ve played cricket. We always had a passion for footy but if there\u2019s no pathway, you lose interest and get caught up in other sports where there\u2019s greater opportunities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think all the chat around the Academy\u2019s, you\u2019ve got to remember what they\u2019re really there for. It\u2019s not to make Gold Coast or Brisbane the best side ever, it\u2019s to help our pathways and make Queensland a football state.\u201d<\/p>\n
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 20: Zeke Uwland during a Gold Coast Suns AFL training session on January 20, 2025 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
If the Academy didn\u2019t exist, one of the best youngsters in the country might\u2019ve been playing a rival sport.<\/p>\n
Uwland will find his way to the Suns at November\u2019s draft. Whether a bid falls at pick 1 or somewhere after that remains to be seen, but he\u2019s right at the pointy end and it doesn\u2019t really faze him what pick he goes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably a bit cliche and hard to believe, but it doesn\u2019t really worry me. At the end of the day, I know I\u2019m never going to be number one pick, wherever it is it\u2019s much of a muchness and it\u2019s not worth reading into it. Opinions don\u2019t really matter until about November,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s cool (seeing power rankings), like someone might send it to me, it\u2019s inevitable that you see it but you just acknowledge that it\u2019s there and it is what it is, it\u2019s out of my control.\u201d<\/p>\n
Uwland is a composed user who uses the ball well with a high footy IQ. Some scouts have compared him to Sydney superstar Errol Gulden. He\u2019s a self-driven individual, who is well-liked and respected amongst his peers.<\/p>\n
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\u2018IT WOULD BE CRAZY\u2019: A DREAM IS ABOUT TO BECOME REALITY<\/p>\n
Fast forward a few weeks and Uwland will officially be a Suns player. When asked how much that would mean to him and his family, a huge smile beamed across Uwland\u2019s face.<\/p>\n
\u201cI literally just got a back tingle, it would be crazy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many kids dream of having the opportunity that some of us will be lucky to have. It would be a dream come true and hopefully it comes to fruition and I can celebrate with friends and family.\u201d<\/p>\n
When draftees hear their names called out on the first night of the draft, most go up on stage representing their Coates Talent League program or an equivalent thereof. <\/p>\n
Uwland, will be repping his local footy side, Burleigh, who have played such a key role in his footy development.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be wearing my Burleigh polo if I get the invite, I\u2019d be the first player to have stayed at Burleigh the whole way. It\u2019s like a Div 2 local club, everyone usually hops across to a QAFL club but I\u2019ve been really committed to them because they\u2019ve been really good to me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole community is really invested. They just want people to succeed. It\u2019s so special. It\u2019s good to have people rooting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard to remember a draft prospect as impressive as Uwland both on and off the field for some time. Gold Coast are going to get a ripper.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Zeke Uwland is not your average draft prospect, in fact, he\u2019s far from it. Uwland, the brother of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":265154,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[155104,638,60147,64,63,689,155120,55,639,155118,155122,155123,33312,37067,9124,3525,155117,3416,155125,107820,3499,155102,155107,19123,43984,155119,155115,155121,32918,659,155114,155108,2105,155111,2485,155116,3503,8083,35770,54980,52911,4490,155113,15708,33330,97068,26596,155129,647,15675,155110,155105,673,677,155109,155106,682,155103,701,14272,23508,1124,155126,85,155127,19088,670,2801,155128,19998,155124,71063,29759,155112,53149,660,3439],"class_list":["post-265153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-academy-boys-jumper","tag-afl","tag-albert-park","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-families","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-average-draft-prospect","tag-backyard-battles","tag-boys-jumper-presentation","tag-boys-match","tag-career-highlight","tag-chris-hyde","tag-coaches-box","tag-coaching-post-footy","tag-coates-talent-league","tag-colac","tag-cricket-ground","tag-daniel-pockett","tag-diligent-training-regime","tag-draft-prospect","tag-dylan-bolch","tag-emma-moore","tag-football-state","tag-footy-development","tag-footy-family","tag-footy-side","tag-footy-world","tag-forgotten-academy-message","tag-game-plans","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-goal-posts","tag-gold-coast","tag-gold-coast-sun-bodhi","tag-gold-coast-suns-academy","tag-graham-denholm","tag-griffith-university","tag-head-coaches","tag-injury-struggles","tag-injury-toll","tag-james-tsitas","tag-jenny-evans","tag-josh-chadwick","tag-key-role","tag-matt-roberts","tag-matt-taylor","tag-melbourne","tag-national-academy","tag-national-academy-boys","tag-natural-movement-patterns","tag-new-south-wales","tag-oceania","tag-people-rooting","tag-performance-athletics-guru","tag-playing-footy","tag-pre-season-camp","tag-queensland","tag-sam-docherty","tag-sarah","tag-south-australia","tag-spare-time","tag-sports","tag-starry-eyed-youngster-ready","tag-stress-fracture","tag-sydney","tag-tasmania","tag-tassie-tables","tag-team-mates","tag-team-role","tag-team-success","tag-tennis-players","tag-time-filler","tag-training-session","tag-victoria","tag-western-australia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265153"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265153\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}