Midfielder Karmichael Hunt says Gold Coast need to arrest their second-half fadeouts if they are to break through for their first win of the AFL season against Port Adelaide on Saturday.
The young Suns’ shallow bank of fitness and experience has cost them dearly all season as they’ve regularly thrown away strong positions against better-credentialled sides.
They’ve led at halftime in all four games since round four and were within eight points in the two matches before that, but have lost each time.
They were three points ahead of the Western Bulldogs at halftime last week but lost by 38 and a late snooze the previous week against Greater Western Sydney turned a 13-point lead into a 27-point loss.
“Our starts are pretty good. It’s just coming out after the break and continuing that on,” Hunt said on Thursday.
“Against the Bulldogs, it was quite evident – even from the players’ point of view. We were just going through the motions in terms of trying to warm up for the second half and, before we know it, they’ve got the lead on us and we’re chasing bum again.
“The key for us is to be switched on in that second half. Obviously start well but come out in that second half and be ready to go right from that very first kick.”
The rugby league convert says, apart from the GWS loss, the Suns are ironing out their inconsistency but admits supporters would be going to games thinking “What are we going to see today?”
Personally, Hunt says he’s happy with his development into a legitimate midfielder in his second year of AFL.
“I’m happy with my progress and I’m always looking to get better – I always roll my sleeves up at training and turn up to fix what went wrong on the weekend,” he said.
“There’s always things I wish I could have done better.”
The Suns are yet to win a game at their home ground at Metricon Stadium since it opened in this round last year, but will find Port tough after the Power’s stirring win over North Melbourne last week.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Wookie we say it every round, but a handful of Roar correnspondents think it's their duty to perpetuate these false figures, to get the idea out there that things are on the nose, when it's nothing more than a forlorn hope on their part. Why? We can only imagine. A good question is why the Roar puts up with these falsifications. It's not opinion anymore, it's simply false facts, intentionally so, and the Roar should not put up with it when it's the same four or five doing it pretty much every single day of the week.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
wait...falling ratings? Thats not even close to true. Even accouinting for more games, the AVERAGE is up for tv viewing across the Fox and FTA. While the average is DOWN for match attendances - as every one not trolling expected I might add - the reality is the aggregate crowd is UP 124,000 on last year (about 4.8%) on the back of good performances in Adelaide and Perth, and the Giants. So the short side of the story - More people are watching - and we're talking on average more than a MILLION viewers per round here according to Oztam - on FTA and Pay tv, and more people are going to the footy across the country each week.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Yeh, but for each one of those there's a crowd at 40,000, 50,000, 60,000 and 70,000 - it's all sweet.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Speaking of fade outs, here's Port scoring 6 goals from 28 disposals to completely leave the Suns in their wake, who, at one point, had crawled to a one point lead early in the 3rd quarter: http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6038/newsid/137091/default.aspx
Redb
Roar Guru
But you would be intimated about the 81,000, 75,000 & 2 by 35,000 then ! Stay away from the Adelaide game tonight it might scare you :)
allblackfan
Guest
I'll give you a clue ... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!
glacier
Guest
Good to see crowds of 16,000, 14,000, 12,000 and 8,000 at four of AFL's games last weekend. Makes followers of NRL, A league and Super Rugby not so intimidated at the so-called massive interest in AFL in this country. Given that nobody outside Australia has an interest in watching AFL, or paying for overseas TV rights for AFL, it shows that AD, boosted by AFL Melbourne tragic Patrick Smith, is a big fisher in a very small sea.
GrantS
Guest
Interesting article TW thank you for the link. It would be good to see just how big a crowd turned up and what sort of response it received by the Kiwi media.
GrantS
Guest
I know the Suns beat Port Adelaide last year but I will be surprised if they do it again. Anyway it should be a close game and if they are good enough, could take home the chocolates, but I expect Port Adelaide to win by 11 points. (I took the draw as well to be on the safe side). :)
Australian Rules
Guest
Cat and Ian You really shouldn't interrupt ICAR when he's trolling Australian Football. Nor should you mention the state of his preferred sport in Australia, soccer, and the fact that it went gangbusters in 2012!
GCS
Guest
Is all the interest on the bottom teams? I'm sure Adelaide, West Coast and Essendon supporters would disagree with that. You really should jump on board ICAR. Why don't you start this week by watching the Adelaide v Collingwood and West Coast v Fremantle matches. You will soon understand why it is the greatest game.
TW
Guest
The Suns are an expansion team into a Rugby League area.- Thats my excuse to post this link. The AFL St Kilda Saints expansion deal into a NZ Rugby Union area looks very very likely it is a goer- According to their Coach. I like the way the footy media keep bringing this proposed venture into the spotlight. It is averaging one article a month at least. It keeps the media interest in the off shore activities of our code to the fore. And the Saints are doing their bit also by spreading the word to the media. Link-- http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-sport/saints-set-to-take-afl-to-nz-20120525-1z93q.html
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Even if this is true, it is still irrelevant. More teams equals more games equals more content to sell. More professional teams equals more opportunities equals more stars developed, as well.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
No - both FTA and Fox numbers have increased, despite simulcasts, increased way beyond what anyone could have reasonably expected.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Yes because they show 9 live games now instead of 4. Why wouldn't it be a record. But average per game is woeful compared to the best years. You can't just keep adding viewers, because AFL fans will watch more than one game, probably all 9.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
But you can't have pre-season type training in the midst of matches where so much time is dedicated to recovery and skills sessions (which might sound like an oxymoron for the Suns, but they still have to dedicate much training to learning game plans).
The Cattery
Roar Guru
There's a wide array of interest in the new teams, from completely disinterested through to highly interested, and throw in many who are down right hostile (boo hoo). As for the ratings, I'm just checking out the ratings for rd 8 now, and total FTA (metro) and Fox ratings are 4.3 million, which is the 3rd highet rating round for the season. This season, the TV ratings for both FTA and Fox are setting new records every round.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Yes I read it and good article. The author however, missed the main reason why the bottom teams are generating so much hype - they are new expansion teams. Demetriou and every AFL fan wants them to do well, to the point where they're losing interest in their own teams, by the look of the falling attendances and ratings. .
Macca
Guest
I think I have made myself heard on this issue!!
Winston
Guest
I know you're right about preseasons, but I'm just saying if they are dropping games already anyway, might as well do more training in the meantime to improve faster. At this rate, they'll win zero games this year and have to wait till November before they can train properly.