It’s Gold Coast’s ninth season, but under coach Stuart Dew, the Suns are effectively starting again. Photo: AFL MEDIA
Gold Coast will embark upon its ninth season in the AFL safe in the knowledge that things can only get better.
The league’s second-newest team has endured some turbulent times since joining the top flight for the 2011 campaign, but it is fair to say that 2018 was the most difficult season yet.
A year to forget
Not only did the Suns finish 17th on the ladder with only four wins all year, but three of those wins came in the first five games.
This preceded a losing streak bordering on legendary and certainly attracted some attention at streak-spotting site https://www.unibet.com.au/streak.
Ultimately, it was a run of losses only broken by the incredible win against Sydney, although the incredulity with which the media greeted the result tells you all you need to know about the rest of the season.
On top of the indifferent performances on the field, the Suns also had the distraction of new coach Stuart Dew finding his feet in his first year. At the same time, there was the seemingly unending media speculation that the co-captains, Steven May and Tom Lynch, would be seeking their fortunes in pastures greener at the first opportunity.
A silver lining on the Gold Coast?
The media were, of course, proved right, with May and Lynch parting company with the Suns at the end of last season and going to Melbourne and Richmond respectively. This, however, was just the beginning of an exodus that saw 10 more players depart, including the retiring Matt Rosa and, most surprising of all, Jarryd Lyons, who had proved one of the few successes of the season.
All this, however, has provided the opportunity for the Suns to make hay throughout the drafts. They were also able to take advantage of the AFL’s decision that the bottom two teams could pre-select a set number of mature players from the state leagues.
The upshot? Twelve new squad members donning Suns guernseys for the season ahead, including some precocious talent.
Gold Coast went into the national draft with picks two, three and six in its back pocket, meaning the Suns were probably in a better position than anyone.
Their first selections were Izak Rankine and Jack Lukosius, both from South Australia, and they were quickly joined by Ben King from Victoria. The Suns then strategically traded up to Pick 23 in order to secure the services of Jez McLennan, and Gold Coast academy star Caleb Graham also joined the roster officially via selection 71.
More challenges to come
There is no denying the raw talent present in the Suns’ squad, but this is a team that is going to feel the loss of its captains and its stalwarts, May and Lynch.
Dew will have his work cut out to ensure that established players like Anthony Miles, Sam Collins, Sam Burgess and George Horlin-Smith coalesce with the new blood, and quickly, to avoid another season of pain duking it out in the bottom three.
