Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane has expressed his disappointment at star small forward Izak Rankine’s looming return home to South Australia.
Rankine has requested a trade to Adelaide, where it has been reported he will receive a five-year contract worth upwards of $4 million.
But speaking on 3AW’s Sportsday, Cochrane didn’t cut Rankine any slack for the monster payday.
“Incredibly disappointing because there’s so many people around our club that gave Izak an awful lot of time,” Cochrane said of Rankine’s impending departure.
“I recall his first year, when they discovered he had a bit of an arthritic hip issue, pelvic area issue, and the time and trouble we went to medically to try and get to the bottom of that and get him sorted for life – not just for footy – and he didn’t play in that first year. It goes right back to those days.
“Stuey Dew has put in a phenomenal amount of time with this kid, he’s been like a second dad to him. He’s helped him in so many ways, to get around and get involved, and he’s also helped him enormously with his football.
“There’s a lot of very disappointed people up here and I know a lot of his fellow playing mates all feel they were all in this together, and they felt he was in this with them and would go forward with them.
“Money talks, huh? Someone else with a big wallet comes along, it makes it pretty hard.”
Cochrane is known for his controversial and often outlandish statements regarding departing Suns, having blasted former player Jaeger O’Meara several years after leaving the Gold Coast to head to Hawthorn.
As one of a number of stars to leave the club in a player exodus during the mid-2010s, Cochrane told Damian Barrett’s In the Game podcast in 2019 it was O’Meara’s move that hurt the most.
“Jaeger is one that was personally disappointing because he looked me in the eye and said he was staying, so I learnt something in life out of that,” he said.
Suns captain Touk Miller joined Cochrane in expressing his disappointment in Rankine’s departure, saying the club’s role in his development as a player is now wasted and revealing the Suns’ leadership group had pleaded with him to stay.
“We sat him down, we had a chat to him, our leadership group,” Miller told Fox Footy during Wednesday night’s AFL Awards.
“We literally just gave him our honest opinion and how we felt and what we felt with where his spot was in our club and how important he was to us succeeding and how much of a loss it is if he doesn’t play for us.
“I’ll be honest, it is disappointing. We felt like Izak, we put a lot of time into him.
“For the player that he is and going to become, I feel like we had a massive hand in that and trying to create that and surround him with a culture where he can thrive and relish.
“He’s really just started to give us the goods towards the end there.”
Izak Rankine of the Suns celebrates kicking a goal. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Clarko’s cleanout begins at North Melbourne
Alastair Clarkson’s arrival as North Melbourne coach has already seen massive changes across the club.
Kangaroos football boss Dan McPherson and assistant coaches Anthony Rocca and Heath Younie have been dismissed just days after the four-time premiership coach’s appointment, with Clarkson set to have a major say in determining club personnel moving forward.
McPherson had only been in the role for a single season.
The former Hawthorn boss has already hired former lieutenant at the Hawks, Todd Viney, as his general manager of football, with the club in full support of the signing
“Todd is a widely respected figure of the game with great football nous, and he will be a huge asset to our club,” North Melbourne CEO Ben Amarfio said in a statement.
“Todd’s vast experience in a range of football roles has given him an understanding of all aspects of the game. We look forward to him leading our football program and working alongside Alastair.”
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
If you can't taste it it isn't air!
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
In Adelaide Dawson gets to have his cake and eat it to. Close to family. Good money that goes further than it does in Sydney. A true football club in a football State and surrounded by success. No smog! No Sydneysiders ...
Tania
Guest
No one said boo when Ablett left Geelong to join the Suns or for that matter Jake Lever, Charlie Cameron, Patrick Dangelfield & Jack Gunston who the Crows invested a lot of time into onlt to see them go home. This is football.. stop being so naive and let him go with grace
Angela
Roar Rookie
Never trust air I can't see
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
In Sydney on a clear day you can see the smog
okapiman
Roar Rookie
Living in Adelaide v Sydney. No comparison. You need to be stronger, tougher, and smarter to make it in Sydney. Eddie came up... sent back home with his tail between his legs. Simply not up to it.. confirmed by Collingwood results this season..
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
So...why did you engage? I know it has hurt your feelings but you don't have to concede such power to me.
G money
Roar Rookie
You think Chol is the equal of Lynch in a football field.. there really is no point engaging with someone who knows so little about the game
Angela
Roar Rookie
Time will tell. Family is one aspect that has to be weighed up against a footie career with a successful club. Many players opt for the latter and learn to cope away from their families - it's called growing up.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Dawson coming home to family would hardly be a regret. This comment should be revisited in a couple of years time and I suspect you won’t be so happy then ????♂️
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Cochrane is a flug, who'd wanna play for that bloke? If someone offers you an extra 200k - 250k, to go home no less, you take it every day don't you? GC should just take the picks and shut up
bootrossbootross
Guest
It is natural to be disappointed, but what is the value in unloading like this on any player? It is not new for players to want to go home. If the GC are ever to be a destination club and actually keep players it wont be with this attitude from their leadership. The comment from the top could have addressed the obvious and understandable disappointment, but also wished the kid the best on his endeavours because we love him, we loved having him here, and we showed we have good development and support structures in place at this club to get him where he is. Instead the vitriol from Cochrane demonstrated perfectly what is wrong at GC, and wont be fixed with him there. Same with Miller coming out and spruiking his nonsense. Publicly shaming or guilting players is a horribly negative thing to do and sucks way more "culture" out of the club than it adds.
Vicboy
Roar Rookie
Rankine should go to Port and replace Gray. Good on him to go home, if that’s what he wants. That’s footy. GWS have had success doing the reverse with Ward & Davis - both leaders. Suns recruitment of established players (other than Ablett) Chol, Markov, etc are not really A Grade or leaders. Cochran is good for the Suns re publicity, but the Suns are too nice. Lots of early picks - nurture them and then rejects from other clubs: “we will give you a second chance “ They should chase Bailey Smith, Jordan Ridley, Sam De Koning etc types. Instead they probably get Collier-Dawkins types Life is not fair - play the recruiting game as hard as others! If Dodaro is moved on, they should get him. They need a ruthless prick!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
If that all you can say, without providing a counter argument or demonstrating any of your knowledge, I'm guessing you are looking in a mirror, not reading my comments. Let's hear what you are troubled by.
Curmudgeon1961
Roar Rookie
Dont be too hard on him I think he was busy with a PHD Thesis at the time
Russ
Roar Rookie
GC was poorly led and organised at the start and they wasted the talent given to them. GWS was better. GC has been better in the last few years and it is reflected in those that are staying. The AFL will ensure that these two teams survive.
Russ
Roar Rookie
That comment certainly came back to bite him.
Russ
Roar Rookie
Charlie was about money - the Crows offered to trade him to Perth were his family is, understand he went to school in Brisbane, the Lions offered him a deal he couldnt refuse.
G money
Roar Rookie
It's a serious problem. One without an easy solution.
G money
Roar Rookie
For someone who watches a lot of football, you sure don't seem to know much about it