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Now they've got Ablett, will Gold Coast be competitive?

29th September, 2010
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Roar Guru
29th September, 2010
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Gary Ablett joins the Gold Coast Suns

Gary Ablett joins the Gold Coast Suns


Gold Coast Suns coach Guy McKenna said yesterday: “We’re not going to build a football club around one individual, but when you’re talking about the greatest player playing the game at the moment of course it has a big impact.

The immediate impact of signing Gary Ablett Jnr for the Suns was obvious yesterday as the entire footy world switched attention from the AFL Grand Final replay or James Hird’s appointment at Essendon and took notice of the fledgling club who had landed their man.

And Gold Coast CEO Travis Auld described the long-term benefits of Ablett’s recruitment when he said: “We think the excitement Gary brings to the club, the professionalism he demonstrates and his on-field leadership will be an enormous benefit to a young group that want to build towards a premiership.”

A lot of long-term benefits were spoken about at yesterday’s press conference, especially about building a young list towards a premiership, setting a standard, creating a professional culture and ultimately a successful club.

After all, this is a club who have nine of the first 15 picks at the upcoming NAB AFL Draft, so they should be thinking long-term.

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There’s no doubt their list of quality, young talent will be the envy of a lot of AFL clubs in a few years time, but how about in the short-term? Will they be competitive in 2011?

Prior to Ablett’s signing, Gold Coast’s uncontracted AFL-listed additions had been solid without being spectacular.

In Campbell Brown, Nathan Bock and Jarrod Harbrow the Suns had assembled a solid and experienced backline. In Brisbane’s 2010 Best and Fairest Michael Rischitelli they had acquired a skilful, inside midfielder who will be valuable. Meanwhile, Port Adelaide’s Nathan Krakouer is still a rough diamond.

With due respect, these names were hardly awe-inspiring.

But Ablett’s arrival is everything this club needed. Marketability, professionalism, leadership and on-field quality. He’ll make a major impact. Just look at the impact Chris Judd makes at Carlton.

As McKenna points out, Ablett is only one man but he is a superstar. He will be their key man and in most likelihood their captain. Ablett will lift this team who some feared could struggle to be competitive in their initial years, while their draft concessions develop.

Looking back to 1995 and 1997 when Fremantle and Port Adelaide entered the AFL both sides made relatively smooth transitions into the big-time winning eight and 10 games respectively.

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Their transitions into AFL footy are encouraging for Gold Coast but the game has moved on in terms of professionalism. There are no easy matches anymore. Plus Gold Coast’s list is a lot younger and more inexperienced than Fremantle’s and Port Adelaide’s in their first years.

McKenna, though, admitted yesterday he was keen to still add three or four AFL-listed players, if he could and that’ll help if he finds players needed in areas where they are lacking such as ruck and in key forward positions (their leading goalscorers last season, Brandon Matera and Charlie Dixon, kicked a meagre total of 22).

On a side note, McKenna made it clear yesterday Nathan Ablett’s future at Gold Coast is far from guaranteed, stating he’ll join the club in pre-season training and need to impress to win a contract.

Looking ahead to 2011, Gold Coast’s experience of playing in the VFL during 2010 will have helped. Okay they only won 5 games but their VFL existence wasn’t about win-loss and rather about the youngsters adjusting to the bigger bodies in preparation for AFL footy.

VFL football operations manager John Hook told me yesterday: “Obviously their list in the VFL isn’t going to take them into the AFL but they’ve got some very good players playing in the VFL competition against AFL-listed players on a regular basis which will give them a grounding which will help them immensely.”

He added: “I think they’ve got 10 or so players of the VFL talent who will do alright in the AFL.”

Hook earmarked youngsters such as midfield gun David Swallow and bigman Zac Smith as genuine talents, while recycled AFL players like 2010 Best and Fairest winner Sam Iles and runner-up Daniel Harris should hold their own too. Michael Coad and Danny Stanley are mature bodies who’ll help in defence too.

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Swallow, 18, the brother of North Melbourne’s Andrew, is particularly exciting after a season where he made the VFL Team of the Year and finished fourth in the JJ Liston Trophy. He seems a readymade star.

But finding more youngsters who are readymade for AFL footy will be a tough challenge, as much as their VFL experience may have helped. Top draft prospects Sam Day and Harley Bennell may not be ready to be thrust straight into AFL action just yet too.

As a result, Gold Coast’s activity throughout the draft and trade periods will be interesting.

There are some issues McKenna needs to address but the addition of Ablett will have helped ease plenty of doubts about their ability to be competitive in 2011.

There’s still a long way to go for the Suns, but you fancy with Ablett they’ll be competitive and capable of winning a couple of games of footy next year.

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