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Suns face another steep curve: McKenna

Roar Guru
8th April, 2012
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Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna says his developing AFL club face another steep learning curve this season, as they become more tactically advanced.

The 69-point opening round defeat to Adelaide, followed by Sunday’s 92-point whipping from St Kilda have cast doubt over whether the Suns made much progress over the off-season.

But McKenna said while their debut 2011 season was all about exposing their youngsters to the demands of the top level, their attempts to implement a more sophisticated gameplan this season meant they again needed time to adjust.

“Last year was all about the fellas going out and getting exposed to football, playing some one-on-one footy and seeing ball, chase ball,” McKenna said.

“This year, where the game’s trending, we’ve put in more of a defensive structure.

“That’s going to take time for the boys to adjust to, because there’s obviously a fair amount of thinking on their feet.

“We’ll certainly as a coaching group back the kids in, because they understand it, they’re clever boys.

“But it’s also about learning the structures … not having that (direct opponent) as a reference point, sometimes the boys are a little bit confused with that.”

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But McKenna, whose own performance is being reviewed as the Suns decide whether to reappoint him for next season, said his young side were also not doing well enough in the more basic aspect of winning the hard ball.

He said aside from midfield superstar Gary Ablett and young gun David Swallow, too many Gold Coast youngsters were trying to play “pretty football”.

“We can’t deny that the fellas need to be able to put their head over the footy and win that contested footy,” he said.

“If you lose the contested possession count, that’s where it’s difficult to show any style of football.”

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