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We all love the Gold Coast Suns at the moment. We love their story and we love their players. We love how they’re the underdog when they go into every game. We always want them to win, barring when they play our own team, of course.
We love what they’re trying to achieve. We want them to prove that you can build a solid AFL brand in a difficult, yet developing market. We want them to be successful.
But watch out. Don’t get too comfortable on the new-boy bandwagon.
We love Gold Coast now, but the way things are heading, we’ll dread it very soon. Maybe even despise it.
The Suns aren’t doing too much damage right now – nor were they expected to, pre-season.
Going into 2011, the average age of a player on their list was 21 years and 80 days. Out of all the clubs to enter the competition over the past few decades, it was by far, the youngest and least experienced.
After 11 rounds of action, they sit on the bottom of the ladder, with a horrendous percentage.
They’ve suffered some big losses.
But in two to three years time, they’ll be the ones annihilating teams.
It has been a pleasure to watch the Suns improve this season. They beat Port Adelaide away from home and knocked over next-door neighbours Brisbane two weeks later.
They’ve also pushed teams such as Adelaide and West Coast for a quarter or two.
But compared to when they ran out for their first game against Carlton in Round 2, the Suns are a completely different unit.
They’ve turned into a confident and vibrant young team, who are a walking proof that the more games you play, the more you will improve.
Some might even say they’re further advanced than where most people thought they’d be at this stage of the season.
Perhaps Gold Coast’s most impressive performance so far this season came against Geelong in Round 10, when it really gave the footy world a taste of things to come.
At first glance, an 11-goal loss is nothing to boast about – neither should it be. But the young Suns’ intensity and ferocity at the contest over the first 60 minutes of the match was mind-blowing.
The Suns outscored the Cats 6.4 to 3.2 in the first quarter and led the league leader by 11 points at half-time. Not only did the Suns beat the Cats on the scoreboard in the first half, they also beat them around the stoppages.
That was a phenomenal effort, especially considering the Cats’ incredible depth and the plethora of quality mid-fielders. In fact you’d probably say the Cats’ mid-field is their biggest asset.
However, the most encouraging sign for Gold Coast fans that night was that their team wasn’t intimidated by the Geelong juggernaut. From the oldest to the youngest, every Gold Coast player went into that game with no fear.
Soon, other teams will have to be brave against the Suns.
The club’s board made the right choice by appointing Guy McKenna as the senior coach. He is the right man for the job, both, now and for the long term.
He obviously understands the players and relates well to them. And it shows through their on-field efforts, because they are playing for him.
The Suns have only played one game at their new home ground, but they will cherish playing at Metricon Stadium.
During Brisbane’s tremendous reign in the early to mid-2000s, the Gabba became a fortress. It was the hardest interstate trip to make for a visiting club.
After seeing Gold Coast look so comfortable on its home turf and the solid turnout from its developing fan base, there’s no reason why Metricon Stadium can’t become the new Gabba.
Hopefully, the club is starting to become more recognised amongst the Gold Coast people too. Skipper Gary Ablett is promoting the club and the game exceptionally well, or at least trying to. In fact he’s doing way more media than what he used to do at Geelong.
Oh, and he’s playing pretty well too, averaging a tick under 30 disposals per game.
The key for the Suns now is to keep improving. The more improvement they show on the field, the more games they’ll win and the more fans they’ll win over. The first step is to start playing four consistent quarters.
They must keep this current playing group together too. There is an incredible amount of talent on the list right now and if they all develop like we expect them to, they will be a classy side – a menacing side.
If McKenna stays and is able to develop a powerhouse club – which is a genuine possibility – then the Suns will figure heavily in September in a few years time and there is no question about that.
So jump on the Suns bandwagon at your own peril. If you do, you’ll probably be jumping off sooner rather than later.
Unless you’re swapping teams, that is.
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