Record: 6 wins, 16 losses, 78.2%
In 25 Words: Once again Gold Coast fell into a heap with injuries to all their top-line midfielders ruining their year, but there were some signs of a breakout for certain players.
The Player: Tom Lynch factored firmly into Coleman Medal calculations all year, and the key forward was one of the most dangerous in the league. This also came despite less-than-stellar delivery from the midfield, which makes you wonder just how dangerous Lynch would be in a fully functional side.
The Roughie: Peter Wright came into his own as the second forward in 2016, and is a serious contender for the Rising Star. His 20-disposal, 5-goal game against Brisbane in Round 16 showed just how deadly he will be, and coupled with Lynch will be one of the most dangerous forward lines in the competition.
The Win: Round 15 saw the Suns snap an 11-game losing streak to dominate the Saints, defeating them by 40 points. It was a win that relied on older heads, with Rischitelli, Malceski and Ablett all having strong games, and provided some relief for the downtrodden Suns fans.
The Loss: Round 6 saw the Suns completely routed by Geelong at Simonds’ Stadium, with a 120pt loss truly signifying how far off the top end they were. Geelong were allowed to do as they wanted, with multiple 30+ disposal winners and Jimmy Bartel taking 14 marks.
What now?: The Suns will now see a moment of generational shift in the club. Jaeger O’Meara and Dion Prestia have both requested trades; rumours abound that David Swallow could follow. However, this will set the club up further for the future. The Suns already hold two picks in the top ten thanks to a 2015 trade with Melbourne; they hold a total of seven picks inside the top 40, before the trades for Prestia, O’Meara and Swallow. The expectation is that there will be a combination of trades for players and use of these picks to rebuild. However, expectation mounts on Rodney Eade, and a similar or worse year in 2017 could see him out the door.
2017?: The Suns will look to improve, and although significant talent is departing the club, it is players that were missing significant football anyway due to injury. If they can get the remaining talent, plus a certain dual Brownlow Medalist, onto the field, they will certainly improve. However, it’s difficult to see it all happening for them given previous trends. 15th.
