The Gold Coast Suns have plenty of cash to splash around, a young playing list and a fresh vibe that alludes confidence. However, after a year in the AFL, are they in better shape then the Brisbane Bears (who were based on the Coast between 1987 and 1992)?
At first thought it seems ludicrous to even contemplate that the Suns are no better than the Bears.
The Suns play and train at a stadium, while the Bears home was a country football oval with makeshift stands and tin sheds masquerading as rooms.
The Bears were ridiculed for everything, from the club’s first emblem which featured a Koala Bear, for introducing cerise into the playing strip for the 1989 season and for being based on the Gold Coast as opposed to Brisbane.
On the other hand, the Suns have been lauded for poaching Gary Ablett from powerhouse side Geelong, drafting a handful of talented young players and for winning three games in their inaugural season.
Unlike the Suns who were humiliated in their first outing, the Bears defeated North Melbourne at the MCG. It’s worth noting that the Kangaroos went on to play finals in the 1987 season.
The Bears won five games in their inaugural season, though the perception is that they were lucky to put a competitive team on the park in the early days.
By 1988 the Bears had amassed a list that included Warrick Capper, Roger Merrett, Brad Hardie, Jim Edmond, Mark Williams, Geoff Raines, Michael Richardson, Scott McIvor, Frank Dunell and youngsters Mark Mickan and Michael Kennedy.
Sure there was the farcical enforced trading of two players to the Bears by each VFL club at the end of the 1986 season, but the top end of the list was no worse than the Suns who have Gary Ablett, Michael Rischitelli and a small group of honest veterans.
The great hope of the Suns is that young guns David Swallow, Trent Mckenzie, Zac Smith and Josh Caddy all become genuine stars of the competition and are complemented by the shrewd recruiting to compliment Ablett and Rischitelli.
As the Gold Coast set out to attract quality players from other clubs, the administrative guile and coaching prowess of the Suns will be tested.
With only development coach Andy Lovell having any professional senior coaching experience, the Suns coaching panel is almost as inexperienced as their playing list.
The Suns need to entice Mick Malthouse north to oversee the development of senior coach Guy McKenna at seasons end. Then again, the Suns administration might not have the talent to source such a sought after figure.
It appears that Greater Western Sydney are light years ahead of the Suns when it comes to football administration.
The Suns will enjoy an extended honeymoon period so the real pressure won’t start until 2014. Then the Suns will be expected to be far more competitive than they were in 2011.
The comparison with the Bears though is interesting and not without some relevance. The Suns of 2011 showed that the Bears of 1987 were not as bad as some have made them out to be.
Trust Me
Roar Rookie
The Suns have a lot more money behind them and they will never fail no matter how bad they are compared to the bears or Lions.
Lachlan
Roar Guru
Gold Coast are a lot better looked after and have a long term plan in place, they have plenty of youngsters yet to blossom and veterans that still have some good footy ahead of them.
brendan
Guest
One of the mistakes most commentators make with the Suns is the time frame they put on there first flag.Unlike the other new teams admitted to the league(Giants haven't played yet) the Suns are primarily a team of potential rather than the seasoned players that represented the Bears,Freo , Adelaide or West Coast in there initial seasons.We really dont know how good these kids are going to be and the fact that one of them didn't win the rising star was a bit surprising.Perhaps that adage '' dont do as i say do as i do '' may apply and perhaps there isnt enough experienced hardened bodies in the side to show the kids the way.Interesting that you pointed out the lack of experience in there coaching ranks and i agree they need someone like Malthouse to oversee the coaching panel.I personally think this line continually trotted out we will win a flag in 2015 or whenever give our kids a break we lost by 100+ points but the positives outway the negatives is counter- productive to the development of seasoned platers.Perhaps last year it was acceptable to cut them a bit of slack but heaven help them if Ablett goes down with a season ending injury as there young kids will be in the spotlight like never before.