They may be smarting from a football lesson but the Gold Coast hope to again show they are the AFL’s fast learners against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
Suns coach Guy McKenna hoped history would repeat when they lined up against the Demons this weekend after copping a 99-point hiding from title favourites Hawthorn last round.
McKenna liked what he saw when the Gold Coast bounced back from a round two, 48-point shellacking from Fremantle at Patersons Stadium – the Suns shone the following week to emerge 61-point victors over arch rivals Brisbane Lions.
McKenna hoped to see more of the same against Melbourne this weekend.
“Obviously we got another lesson. It went up to another level against Hawthorn,” McKenna said.
“I’d expect a response again, like we got for Brisbane.”
McKenna said tough love shown by the Hawks would put them in good stead against a Demons outfit still buzzing from a last round upset over Carlton.
“If you want to play finals and you want to get better, you’ve got to be harder, you’ve got to be running harder, you’ve got to be hitting harder, you’ve got to get your skills better – they were taught that lesson,” he said of the loss to the Hawks.
“To hear the playing group speak of that … it says the lessons were well learnt and now we’ve got to put them in practice for the rest of the season.”
Meanwhile, McKenna said code hopper Karmichael Hunt would need to pass a concussion test to be eligible for a run against Melbourne after being knocked out in the reserves last weekend.
Gold Coast will be without Clay Cameron (shoulder) but will welcome back Brandon Matera from suspension.
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