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.
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.
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.
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.
Tom
Guest
Agree with amazonfan.
Tom
Guest
Man, it would be great to see the AFL move into PNG in a serious way. Thats a seriously troubled country and sport could represent a future for a lot of young men there.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
"Hird is not Voss. Hird is not Tim Watson or Tony Shaw. He is his own man, courageous, intelligent, a gun footballer with a very good football brain." That also describes Voss, Watson and Shaw. "He has the management nous to get the right people around him and working for him." That will determine how successful he is. If he can get the right team, he has a much better chance of being successful.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I barrack for Melbourne, and I couldn't really care how Essendon goes in the future. I do think that you treated Knights disgracefully, and presumably Williams as well (is it really true that you made the decision before interviewing him?), and I don't like that Essendon fans consider themselves entitled to success. You are no more entitled than any fan of any other club.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Also a perfect staging post for introducing talented PNG youngsters to the next level of footy.
The Truth
Guest
Let's hope not. No need for the farce to go on longer than it has to.
Redb
Roar Guru
TomC, A premiership is not even that important, that Hird has returned to our club is. This is not hubris. Hird is not Voss. Hird is not Tim Watson or Tony Shaw. He is his own man, courageous, intelligent, a gun footballer with a very good football brain. He has the management nous to get the right people around him and working for him. Hird has literally bled for this football club and all Essendon supporters know he feels the losses as badly as we do. No stone will be left unturned. In this day of neutral home grounds and career coaches it the means the world to the Essendon faithful that someone who loves the club has returned and wants what we do. If it fails it wont be for a lack of trying or 100% commitment and that is all you can ask. Watch the membership tally go through the roof in 2011. In Hird We Trust.
TomC
Guest
Geez Redb, I'm a Brisbane fan myself and I know the appointment of Voss has done anything but brought the glory days any closer. I know you'll find reasons to think that its different for Hird at Essendon, but ultimately what it comes down to is a decision that seems to be based on emotion rather than reason, and I'm afraid that just doesn't work. I'm not saying don't be optimistic, but please don't get carried away.
Redb
Roar Guru
Like many you underestimate what is about to happen and it has nothing to do with wins next year or making the finals. That fans of other clubs (btw who do you follow?) think it wont work or bag the appointment means zip. Of course you want Essendon to stay at the bottom of the ladder forever alas you will be disappointed. :-) The club was the biggest 10 years ago and will return to its former glory in the coming years. Go Dons!
Moonface
Roar Guru
The Suns have 400,000,000.00 reasons to succeed.
beaver fever
Guest
Nth QLD or more particuarly Cairns is very important to the AFL, quite a few good Australian Rules footballers and AFL footballers have come from the region recently, the local Cazalys club is quite a powerful licensed club, and the area has a very good senior and junior playing base. In 10 to 15 years time a AFL club could call Cairns (Nth QLD) home. Cairns should really be in the QAFL ATM, they have a NT team so why no Cairns.
Mister Football
Guest
Some interesting news that is relevant to the Suns: MELBOURNE, Sept 30 AAP - Richmond will play three AFL home games against the Gold Coast Suns in Cairns over the next three seasons. The Tigers will line up for one game a season against the AFL'S newest team at an upgraded Cazaly's Stadium from 2011-13. AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said the deal highlighted the importance of Far North Queensland to the league's expansion plans. I know that Harbrow comes from Cairns, and that might be one or two others on the Suns list - might be an excellent time to take games North.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
LOL! Thanks. :D
Gibbo
Guest
i would have just said that if you polish a turd you only end up with a slightly shinnier turd, but yeah, what amazonfan said.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Why? Because Hird was appointed coach? Even if he is successful, and it is a big if, it will be a while before you are successful. It might be a couple of years before you even reach the finals again. BTW, when you say 'powerhouse club' are you talking financially? Because, on-field, you aren't close to being a power-house club. You haven't won a flag since the 20th century; and you've made just one finals series since 2004, and you can't include 2009 as there is no way with just 10 1/2 wins you deserved to make the finals. So the on-field powerhouse club? Not at all. For that matter, even off-field, Collingwood and perhaps one or two other clubs could challenge you for that title.
Redb
Roar Guru
Bombers? ya dreaming. The acsension of the powerhouse club in the land has started. Go Dons.
Mister Football
Guest
I dunno - Richmond is due to finish 9th this seaon.
Mister Football
Guest
...unless they have an intra-club practice match...
Gibbo
Guest
they'll beat richmond, west coast, port, north melbourne, carlton and the bombers.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I think they will definitely be capable of winning 4-6 games next season, however I hope you're right that they don't challenge for the top 8 next year. It's nothing to do with being an opposition supporter; rather I think it'll be bad for the competition. That is, you don't want it to make too easy for expansion clubs. West Coast made the finals in their second season, and Adelaide & Port Adelaide in their third. I think that if Gold Coast made the finals in its second or third season, that would be reasonable, but to make the finals in their first season would indicate that the advantages they receive are far too generous (as some opposition clubs already fear).