- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Tonight three clubs with big ambitions step out in the second weekend of the NAB Cup when Gold Coast Suns, Hawthorn and Brisbane Lions clash at Metricon Stadium. We’ll have live scores and a blog from 7.40pm AEDT.
Gold Coast have won six AFL games in their history (three in 2011 and three in 2012), but chairman John Witheriff expects to win a flag by the end of 2015.
In that case 2013 is an extra-big year for the Suns. If they are going reach the summit in the next three seasons they need to start winning and to do that they’re going to need to improve a hell of a lot on what we’ve seen so far in their short history.
The NAB Cup is a fantastic opportunity to assess whether a team has made any gains over the off season, so there will be plenty of interest in the Suns’ performance tonight.
Naturally there will be plenty of pressure on Gary Ablett, but if Gold Coast is going to climb the ladder this season they will need some of their high draft picks to deliver.
Harley Bennell had a breakout 2012 and plenty of his teammates must follow suit if the Suns are to prove that you can draft your way to ultimate success.
Hawthorn enters 2013 off another heart-breaking finals campaign. Last year’s grand finalists are in the peak period of a premiership window, so we’re not going to learn a lot about their credentials in February.
But if we took anything from last week it was that the NAB Cup provides a fantastic chance for recruits to showcase their craft at their new home.
Collingwood’s Quentin Lynch and Jordan Russell took the opportunity with both hands and the Hawthorn’s Brian Lake will be hoping for a similar debut tonight.
Lake’s time at Hawthorn began on shaky ground after a drunken night out early in the off-season but the ex-Bulldog, a one-time elite player of the AFL, arrives at Waverley with the brief of filling the missing link in Hawthorn’s premiership puzzle.
If Lake can reclaim his best form, Hawthorn will be mighty hard to beat in any game they play this year.
For Brisbane, this season is about making the leap. Under Michael Voss, the Lions were steady improvers in 2012. Brisbane was particularly good at home, winning six matches at the Gabba, on the way to a 13th-place finish with a 10-12 record.
Lions members will expect a positive win-loss ledger 2013 and a finals finish is attainable for this former powerhouse.
Brisbane will be keen to get off a good start to the year, and after starting pre-season earlier than the teams that played in September, they should be ripe for a forward showing in the NAB Cup.
I think they can win both matches this evening and shape as one of the key contenders for the pre-season trophy.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.