Opinion
Hub talk has dominated the AFL media landscape since the season went into shutdown back in March, but the talk has been all about what teams will go where, who has an advantage over whom and how long teams will be in hubs, so let’s talk about what hub life is actually like for a Gold Coast resident.
The two West Australian and South Australian teams were the first to experience hub life on the Gold Coast. Port Adelaide certainly haven’t complained, winning four out of their five matches so far in the hub – and if you count beating Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium in Round 1 as well, then they’ve won five out of six in the Sunshine State.
Port and the Crows have been staying at the Mercure in Palm Meadows, a short seven-minute drive to the Suns’ Metricon Stadium and surrounding training facilities. The resort is not only built on a stunning 18-hole golf course, but it actually has a second 18-hole golf course just 1.5 kilometres away across the road. This provides a nice escape for footy players who are into their golf.
At the hotel itself the players are the only guests and are treated to a 24/7 barista, a well kitted-out games room, a snack room, a resort-style pool, tennis courts, an outdoor rec area on the water kitted out with a full kitchen as well as obviously breakfast, lunch and dinner provided.
Several Port and West Coast Eagles players, separately, also immersed themselves into local Indigenous culture, going spearfishing with local Indigenous leader Luther Cora.
Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe and Port star Travis Boak met surfing legend Mick Fanning, who greeted them with this line: “Sup lads, welcome to God’s country!” and then proceeded to help them pick out some surfboards. They then presumably all went surfing together, as per the AFL video stating “to be continued…”.
Fremantle and West Coast stayed at the Royal Pines Resort and golf course, just a five-minute drive to Metricon Stadium. Royal Pines Resort is a luxurious five-star resort with one of the most prestigious golf courses on the Gold Coast, hosting the Australian PGA Championship.
The entire Eagles team left their hub at Royal Pines, also housing the Dockers, to go out for lunch at a restaurant they had fully booked out, cheekily ordering off the normal menu rather than the one the dietician had approved, providing some sort of normality in these times. Conversely, this would not currently be able to occur in Victoria due to the significant increase in COVID-19 cases.
The players living on the Gold Coast are able to venture out into the public, to the beautiful beaches and plentiful cafes, and this is exactly what the Victorian teams just entering the hubs can look forward to. The Gold Coast is offering what Victoria currently cannot: some sense of freedom.
The sacrifice that the players are making, especially now that all Victorian teams will be based outside of Victoria for the rest of the season, is not to be underestimated, but a glimpse inside the current footy world on the Gold Coast should be taken to gain an understanding of what the players’ lives will look like for the foreseeable future. And with a WAG hub being established, players will be grateful to be able to bring their partners and families into a safer environment on the Gold Coast.
Putting aside family concerns, players should be glad to be living on the Gold Coast at the moment where they are able to get out and about, unlike if they were currently living in Victoria.
The weather up here certainly helps too!
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