Two Metre Peter will be right at home among Gold Coast’s tall timber in the AFL.

The Suns felt 203cm ruckman Peter Wright was simply too good a player not to pick when he was still available at No.8 in Thursday night’s national draft.

They already have a healthy group of tall players, but coach Rodney Eade said it was still an obvious decision.

“With our list management, you wouldn’t think we’d go for a tall forward,” Eade said.

“But he was too good to pass up … there are a lot of bases that he covers.”

Eade said Wright was a good kick, a strong mark and could also handle ground balls well.

Earlier this year, he was touted as a player who could be taken among the top five in the draft.

Wright admits he did not handle that attention well.

“But I learned to zone out of all the media side of things and just focus on what the coach is saying,” he said.

“So it’s been a good learning experience, dealing with that pressure.”

In the lead-up to the draft, the Suns were surprised to find out that clubs above them in the selection order had cooled on Wright.

So he was in their sights on Thursday night.

“We’d had the ‘intel’ in the last week to 10 days that he’s really good chance of being there,” Eade said.

“We weren’t surprised on the night, but probably surprised two weeks ago that he would be in the frame.”

The Victorian said his quiet hope was that Gold Coast or Geelong would take him.

He will be able to learn from fellow tall players such as Sam Day, Charlie Dixon and Tom Lynch, plus Eade’s arrival is expected to have a dramatic impact.

“It ticks a lot of boxes,” Wright said.

After hitting 200cm when he was in year 10, Wright earned the Two Metre Peter nickname while playing for the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup.

“I don’t mind it, it’s not too bad,” he said.

“And if I say I hate it, it’s even worse.”