Former Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett and the Gold Coast Suns have faced intense scrutiny in season 2012. Much of this criticism, particularly that which has been pointed at Ablett, is unwarranted.
The Suns are just 33 games old in their brief history but have been scorched by the media following a winless, and at most times uncompetitive, start to the 2012 season.
It seems several factors have contributed to the Gold Coast’s disappointing sophomore year in the AFL.
Namely tactics, structure, on-field leadership and individual form have let them down.
The structure of the Suns has been non-existent this year; their game plan is unrecognisable.
Gold Coast CEO Travis Auld conceded his team’s lack of direction in an interview on The Footy Show.
“We made a decision in year one that the team would play a more free-flowing, man-on-man type of football,” he said.
“And in year two we would have to introduce some structures.”
It seems ridiculous to have let a young team, consisting of mostly first-year players, run around without structure for a whole year.
Where is the discipline and the education for these amateur footballers?
It is no wonder the Suns cannot carry out a game plan; they are used to running around with no rules, regulations or consequences.
Similarly the Suns could have benefited from extra on-field direction from their senior players.
Consider fellow expansion-franchise GWS Giants.
They employed several veteran players to fulfil on-field coaching roles.
Luke Power, Dean Brogan, James McDonald and Chad Cornes have provided wonderful leadership and direction for the young Giants.
These four have essentially controlled and directed proceedings while on the ground.
They ensure players are positioned accordingly for zones, kick-outs and stoppages, accelerating the “apprenticeship” of their first-year teammates.
While Gary Ablett has provided wonderful leadership for the Suns, he is arguably the only experienced player doing so.
The Suns have missed the experience of key defender Nathan Bock, who suffered a horrific injury earlier this year.
He and Ablett are the only Suns players mentoring their inexperienced colleagues.
The final consideration to ponder is the “second-year blues” syndrome, afflicted to players who struggle in their second season in the competition following an impressive debut year.
Former Rising Star winners Daniel Rich and Rhys Palmer have both suffered the second-year blues after setting the competition alight in their rookie years.
At the end of the day, it must be remembered the majority of these players are in just their second year, still adapting to the physical and mental demands of AFL football.
Criticism of these babies of the AFL is unwarranted as the second year is arguably tougher than the first.
Branded with expectations they were never going to meet, the Suns were always destined for failure in 2012.
Bad decisions have marred the Gold Coast Suns during their time in the AFL.
Hopefully these choices do not stunt the development of such talented young footballers.
Mike
Guest
Wow, you should be a Detective with deductive skills like that Cattery, Inspector Clouseau perhaps ??
clipper
Guest
The funniest post from Raf was Not much of a crowd.Who were they playing – the Auburn Tigers?' When he had said in replying to another article that he had never heard of them and doubted their existence!
Brewski
Roar Rookie
Here is the article by Christine Cawsey in responce to Gavin Atkins. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/room-for-all-sports-and-codes-in-sydneys-west/story-e6frg7t6-1226341178939 I may also point out that Christine Cawsey, principal of Rooty Hill High School, is on the GWS Board is President of the NSW Secondary Principals' Council and has been awarded an Order of Australia. What does Atkins have ... diploma of sour grapes by the look of it.
John Seabrook
Guest
This is more about Atkins' claim that people in western Sydney, due to their overwhelming masculinity, consider Aussie footy to be a bit 'suspect'. If that's the case, then what the hell do they think of the masses in their midst who favor soccer over all others!? Highly highly 'suspect' I'd say!
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Passing oneself off as another race is stupid, but why is it worse that he's trying to pass himself off as a Muslim?
The Cattery
Roar Guru
I'm not a skip pretending to be a wog. I'm certainly not trying to pass myself off as a muslim. Yeh, in my eyes, it's a bit different. At the end of the day - they're just a bunch of skips pretending to be passionate about some well known soccer club overseas - most probably from a city they have never visited. I'm impressed.
Will Travel
Guest
I'm still failing to see how this is any different to you.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
NO problem with soccer - but I've got a big problem with skips coming on here pretending to be wogs, made worse in your case in that you're' trying to pass yourself off as a muslim.
Brewski
Roar Rookie
What's 'early fudging' troll boy ?.
Calcio
Guest
No the AFL's fear is clearly shown by the early fudging. You will learn over time. As for trolls, I was just reading the NRL media rights thread and you are all in there... lol
Brewski
Roar Rookie
Says the troll on a AFL page, LOL.
Calcio
Guest
The fear is palpable... lol
Calcio
Guest
What a pathetic effort from the usual trolls of the site. No wonder no-one bothers with it.
Raf Nadir
Roar Rookie
What's wrong with people who follow "soccer"? Are we not Australians, even though we have different cultures and religions? Do we have to follow AFL to be Australian?
The Cattery
Roar Guru
We should tolerate anyone able to add value and improve the quality of the discussion. In the case of calcio and Raf Nadir, we're talking about blokes who do little else except troll AFL sites. Worse still, we're talking about two skips pretending to be wogs, and one is making out he's all muslim - so it's a bit pathetic all round.
Patrick
Guest
And your trolling of NRL threads should be tolerated?
John Seabrook
Guest
He's a soccer 'man'. That's not a wild guess either.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Raf Nadir is an old anti-AFL troll who has been reincarnated as a muslim (i.e. he is pretending to be one). In the last article he wrote, he was very, very quick to pull out the race card - and quickly incorporated some grammatical errors into his posts all of a sudden to put us off the scent. People like him and calcio bring a site like this into disrepute and I'm not really sure why they are tolerated by the mods.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Calcio we've already outed Raf Nadir as someone pretending to be a muslim, are pretending to be Italian? Do you know any other Italian words apart from calcio?
The Cattery
Roar Guru
I now recall this article. A teacher from the West Sydney area wrote a rebuttal soon afterwards. The success of the AFL just eats at some people, absolutely eats at them.