After round 20 in the 2017 season, senior coach Rodney Eade was sacked.
In October 2017 it was announced that former Port Adelaide premiership player and Sydney assistant coach Stuart Dew had signed a three-year deal to become the new senior coach at Gold Coast.
When Essendon instead traded that pick to Greater Western Sydney for Devon Smith, the Suns instead received Essendon's second round pick for the 2018 draft.
[3] Fremantle player Lachie Weller requested a trade to the Suns, but Fremantle wanted their number 2 pick in the 2017 draft in exchange.
He requested a trade again in 2017, and Gold Coast attempted to secure a player from Geelong's best 22 in exchange, but again nothing could be settled on.