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Suns in the Media - Part I
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Herald Sun Mick Warner Jay Clark
Gold Coast threatening legal action amid calls for heads to roll at AFL HQ over Suns continued failure
Suns players leave the field after the loss to Melbourne.
GOLD Coast chief executive Mark Evans has threatened legal action against any player manager who attempts to block a draftee’s move to the Suns.
The Suns are certain to receive picks No.2 and No.3 (as Tom Lynch compensation) in this year’s draft after falling to a 96-point thrashing from Melbourne at the MCG.
The malaise at the Queensland club has been laid bare by former staff members who have detailed the training facility problems which have plagued the club until this year, sparking a player exodus.
FOUNDATIONS: 10 WAYS TO RUIN A CLUB’S FUTURE
REPORT: DEMONS TOP-FOUR BOOST IN MCG ROMP
COMMENT: LOSING LYNCH WON’T RUIN SUNS
The Herald Sun can also reveal Richmond premiership list architect Blair Hartley has become the latest senior club figure to knock back an offer to join the AFL’s $200 million problem child.
Hartley turned down an offer from the Suns to become their new footy boss late last year.
Hartley joins respected figures including Richmond’s Neil Balme, Geelong footy boss Simon Lloyd and former Collingwood fitness guru David Buttifant who have turned down the Suns in recent years.
Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew and chief executive Mark Evans.
The Suns are also struggling to attract fresh top-end playing talent.
Collingwood premiership coach Michael Malthouse said he was aware some potential draftees were now reluctant to go to Gold Coast at the end of the season.
Player managers have confirmed to the Herald Sun they were unwilling to trade their clients to the Queensland club due to their limited on-field prospects.
But Evans said he would launch court action “as quick as we can” against any attempts to block a draftee’s move north to the Suns’ in November’s national draft.
“The only thing I can think where this might have come from, is there are some kids and some families that have a preference not to travel interstate,” Evans said on ABC radio.
“But I’ve yet to hear someone say directly to me, ‘don’t come to the Gold Coast’. That is ridiculous.
Alex Sexton after the loss to Melbourne.
“Tell them to get on the radio and put their balls on the line on radio, and then I’ll smash them in the court.”
Malthouse was adamant some underage players were not keen to be drafted by the Suns.
“Managers have been told by potential recruits for next year ‘I do not want to go to Gold Coast’,” Malthouse said.
“It is a fact. I know several players who have indicated that and that is tampering with the draft.”
Footy greats have declared a state of emergency at the Queensland club as it rallies for an emergency assistance package including a priority draft pick at season’s end.
Leading agent Liam Pickering also said the club needs up to an extra $2 million a year in its salary cap to retain and sign players.
The Suns are determined to again rebuild through the draft after Lynch told the club, as expected, he would leave under free agency rules in October.
The club also faces a fight to keep other senior stars including captain and key defender Steven May, who is out of contract at the end of next season.
Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew with co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May. Picture: Mike Batterham
Senior coach Stuart Dew said the club would look to re-sign May, amid interest from Collingwood.
“’Maysie’ is not alone there,” Dew said.
“There are a lot of guys who are out of contract, so we will always look for early commitment from our players and then from that answer we move forward.
“We have got some work to do to make sure that players want to stay.”
North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey said the Suns should trade May if he doesn’t recommit.
“It’s just not healthy for their footy club right now to go through a similar situation to what they have this year (with Lynch),” Carey said.
“If it means Steven May is another who says ‘I’ll wait’, or in other words I want to leave, then he goes (this year).”
Ex-St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says emergency assistance for the Gold Coast Suns should be followed by the resignations of all senior AFL officials involved in the establishment of the club.
Then AFL COO Gillon McLachlan, CEO Andrew Demetriou, Gold Coast COO Scott Munn and league executive Andrew Catterall leave Gold Coast Council.
The $200 million “Bad News Suns” are set to apply for a priority draft pick and extra financial support after an eighth-consecutive failed season since joining the league in 2011.
Thomas said rival clubs should demand fresh concessions are made on the proviso AFL officials behind its foundation fall on their sword.
“Decent people, when they’ve completely wasted and thrown down the drain bucket loads of other people’s money, hold themselves accountable for that — but I wouldn’t be holding my breathe,” Thomas said.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and league broadcasting boss Travis Auld played major roles in the creation of the competition’s 17th club.
Auld was the club’s inaugural chief executive, while McLachlan and ex-AFL strategist Andrew Catterall were driving forces of expansion back in Melbourne.
An industry heavyweight said: “If it was a public company like BHP, a lot of people would be in trouble. They just wouldn’t last.”
Former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and retired league commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick were the other key drivers behind the creation of the Suns and Greater Western Sydney.
Gold Coast entered its first season under a rookie coach (McKenna), a first-time chief executive (Auld), an untried captain (Gary Ablett) and beginner football boss (Marcus Ashcroft).
Inaugural Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna and captain Gary Ablett.
“Before any assistance is agreed, one must look at what has happened — and why it has happened — and where those responsibilities lie to avoid something like this happening again,” Thomas said.
“There needs to be a very strong focus on the people in charge of those decisions and their level of culpability.
“Unfortunately, within the AFL there’s an ‘all care no responsibility’ culture that has evolved.”
Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett told the Herald Sun last month the Suns’ malaise was “an issue, in one sense, of the AFL’s own making”.
“What we are seeing today is a reflection of concerns that were raised when we were told there was going to be two new clubs,” Kennett said.
“Now the AFL has got to deal with it, there is no way anyone else can.”
Suns players were forced to train and prepare out of portable facilities until late last year and were denied resources in welfare, fitness and sports science.
It was Demetriou who drove the contentious decision to lure NRL star Karmichael Hunt to the Suns on a massive $1 million-a-season contract.
Karmichael Hunt during his time at Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head
Hunt was later implicated in a Queensland Crime Commission cocaine scandal and quit the club after just 44 games.
Disgraced fitness chief Dean “The Weapon” Robinson and sports scientist Stephen Dank also worked at the club in its formative years, supplying star recruit Nathan Bock with the prohibited peptide CJC-1295 in December 2010.
Gold Coast was gifted eight of the first 13 picks in the 2010 national draft, priority access to uncontracted players and elite junior players, including Ablett, and extra millions in the salary cap as part of its generous start-up provisions.
Skipper Tom Lynch is set to join a long line of gun players to exodus the club including Ablett, Jaeger O’Meara, Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy and Charlie Dixon.
Ex-Suns coach Rodney Eade said last year the club’s old facilities were “worse than when I went to the Brisbane Bears”.
“People don’t realise how archaic the facilities were and what players have had to endure. It is just incredible,” Eade said.
“No air-conditioning in the gym when it’s 35 degrees and 90 per cent humidity, insects and rats.”
Gold Coast Football Club Ltd was registered as a business by the AFL in 2007 with league executives Andrew Dillon, Ian Anderson and Simon Lethlean as directors.
Anderson and Lethlean have since departed.
Gold Coast threatening legal action amid calls for heads to roll at AFL HQ over Suns continued failure
Suns players leave the field after the loss to Melbourne.
GOLD Coast chief executive Mark Evans has threatened legal action against any player manager who attempts to block a draftee’s move to the Suns.
The Suns are certain to receive picks No.2 and No.3 (as Tom Lynch compensation) in this year’s draft after falling to a 96-point thrashing from Melbourne at the MCG.
The malaise at the Queensland club has been laid bare by former staff members who have detailed the training facility problems which have plagued the club until this year, sparking a player exodus.
FOUNDATIONS: 10 WAYS TO RUIN A CLUB’S FUTURE
REPORT: DEMONS TOP-FOUR BOOST IN MCG ROMP
COMMENT: LOSING LYNCH WON’T RUIN SUNS
The Herald Sun can also reveal Richmond premiership list architect Blair Hartley has become the latest senior club figure to knock back an offer to join the AFL’s $200 million problem child.
Hartley turned down an offer from the Suns to become their new footy boss late last year.
Hartley joins respected figures including Richmond’s Neil Balme, Geelong footy boss Simon Lloyd and former Collingwood fitness guru David Buttifant who have turned down the Suns in recent years.
Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew and chief executive Mark Evans.
The Suns are also struggling to attract fresh top-end playing talent.
Collingwood premiership coach Michael Malthouse said he was aware some potential draftees were now reluctant to go to Gold Coast at the end of the season.
Player managers have confirmed to the Herald Sun they were unwilling to trade their clients to the Queensland club due to their limited on-field prospects.
But Evans said he would launch court action “as quick as we can” against any attempts to block a draftee’s move north to the Suns’ in November’s national draft.
“The only thing I can think where this might have come from, is there are some kids and some families that have a preference not to travel interstate,” Evans said on ABC radio.
“But I’ve yet to hear someone say directly to me, ‘don’t come to the Gold Coast’. That is ridiculous.
Alex Sexton after the loss to Melbourne.
“Tell them to get on the radio and put their balls on the line on radio, and then I’ll smash them in the court.”
Malthouse was adamant some underage players were not keen to be drafted by the Suns.
“Managers have been told by potential recruits for next year ‘I do not want to go to Gold Coast’,” Malthouse said.
“It is a fact. I know several players who have indicated that and that is tampering with the draft.”
Footy greats have declared a state of emergency at the Queensland club as it rallies for an emergency assistance package including a priority draft pick at season’s end.
Leading agent Liam Pickering also said the club needs up to an extra $2 million a year in its salary cap to retain and sign players.
The Suns are determined to again rebuild through the draft after Lynch told the club, as expected, he would leave under free agency rules in October.
The club also faces a fight to keep other senior stars including captain and key defender Steven May, who is out of contract at the end of next season.
Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew with co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May. Picture: Mike Batterham
Senior coach Stuart Dew said the club would look to re-sign May, amid interest from Collingwood.
“’Maysie’ is not alone there,” Dew said.
“There are a lot of guys who are out of contract, so we will always look for early commitment from our players and then from that answer we move forward.
“We have got some work to do to make sure that players want to stay.”
North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey said the Suns should trade May if he doesn’t recommit.
“It’s just not healthy for their footy club right now to go through a similar situation to what they have this year (with Lynch),” Carey said.
“If it means Steven May is another who says ‘I’ll wait’, or in other words I want to leave, then he goes (this year).”
Ex-St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says emergency assistance for the Gold Coast Suns should be followed by the resignations of all senior AFL officials involved in the establishment of the club.
Then AFL COO Gillon McLachlan, CEO Andrew Demetriou, Gold Coast COO Scott Munn and league executive Andrew Catterall leave Gold Coast Council.
The $200 million “Bad News Suns” are set to apply for a priority draft pick and extra financial support after an eighth-consecutive failed season since joining the league in 2011.
Thomas said rival clubs should demand fresh concessions are made on the proviso AFL officials behind its foundation fall on their sword.
“Decent people, when they’ve completely wasted and thrown down the drain bucket loads of other people’s money, hold themselves accountable for that — but I wouldn’t be holding my breathe,” Thomas said.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and league broadcasting boss Travis Auld played major roles in the creation of the competition’s 17th club.
Auld was the club’s inaugural chief executive, while McLachlan and ex-AFL strategist Andrew Catterall were driving forces of expansion back in Melbourne.
An industry heavyweight said: “If it was a public company like BHP, a lot of people would be in trouble. They just wouldn’t last.”
Former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and retired league commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick were the other key drivers behind the creation of the Suns and Greater Western Sydney.
Gold Coast entered its first season under a rookie coach (McKenna), a first-time chief executive (Auld), an untried captain (Gary Ablett) and beginner football boss (Marcus Ashcroft).
Inaugural Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna and captain Gary Ablett.
“Before any assistance is agreed, one must look at what has happened — and why it has happened — and where those responsibilities lie to avoid something like this happening again,” Thomas said.
“There needs to be a very strong focus on the people in charge of those decisions and their level of culpability.
“Unfortunately, within the AFL there’s an ‘all care no responsibility’ culture that has evolved.”
Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett told the Herald Sun last month the Suns’ malaise was “an issue, in one sense, of the AFL’s own making”.
“What we are seeing today is a reflection of concerns that were raised when we were told there was going to be two new clubs,” Kennett said.
“Now the AFL has got to deal with it, there is no way anyone else can.”
Suns players were forced to train and prepare out of portable facilities until late last year and were denied resources in welfare, fitness and sports science.
It was Demetriou who drove the contentious decision to lure NRL star Karmichael Hunt to the Suns on a massive $1 million-a-season contract.
Karmichael Hunt during his time at Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head
Hunt was later implicated in a Queensland Crime Commission cocaine scandal and quit the club after just 44 games.
Disgraced fitness chief Dean “The Weapon” Robinson and sports scientist Stephen Dank also worked at the club in its formative years, supplying star recruit Nathan Bock with the prohibited peptide CJC-1295 in December 2010.
Gold Coast was gifted eight of the first 13 picks in the 2010 national draft, priority access to uncontracted players and elite junior players, including Ablett, and extra millions in the salary cap as part of its generous start-up provisions.
Skipper Tom Lynch is set to join a long line of gun players to exodus the club including Ablett, Jaeger O’Meara, Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy and Charlie Dixon.
Ex-Suns coach Rodney Eade said last year the club’s old facilities were “worse than when I went to the Brisbane Bears”.
“People don’t realise how archaic the facilities were and what players have had to endure. It is just incredible,” Eade said.
“No air-conditioning in the gym when it’s 35 degrees and 90 per cent humidity, insects and rats.”
Gold Coast Football Club Ltd was registered as a business by the AFL in 2007 with league executives Andrew Dillon, Ian Anderson and Simon Lethlean as directors.
Anderson and Lethlean have since departed.
GcSunsfan
Norm Smith Medallist
- Feb 17, 2013
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This should be the lead story on every footy show Monday night turn the heat up on the afl big time.Herald Sun Mick Warner Jay Clark
Gold Coast threatening legal action amid calls for heads to roll at AFL HQ over Suns continued failure
Suns players leave the field after the loss to Melbourne.
GOLD Coast chief executive Mark Evans has threatened legal action against any player manager who attempts to block a draftee’s move to the Suns.
The Suns are certain to receive picks No.2 and No.3 (as Tom Lynch compensation) in this year’s draft after falling to a 96-point thrashing from Melbourne at the MCG.
The malaise at the Queensland club has been laid bare by former staff members who have detailed the training facility problems which have plagued the club until this year, sparking a player exodus.
FOUNDATIONS: 10 WAYS TO RUIN A CLUB’S FUTURE
REPORT: DEMONS TOP-FOUR BOOST IN MCG ROMP
COMMENT: LOSING LYNCH WON’T RUIN SUNS
The Herald Sun can also reveal Richmond premiership list architect Blair Hartley has become the latest senior club figure to knock back an offer to join the AFL’s $200 million problem child.
Hartley turned down an offer from the Suns to become their new footy boss late last year.
Hartley joins respected figures including Richmond’s Neil Balme, Geelong footy boss Simon Lloyd and former Collingwood fitness guru David Buttifant who have turned down the Suns in recent years.
Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew and chief executive Mark Evans.
The Suns are also struggling to attract fresh top-end playing talent.
Collingwood premiership coach Michael Malthouse said he was aware some potential draftees were now reluctant to go to Gold Coast at the end of the season.
Player managers have confirmed to the Herald Sun they were unwilling to trade their clients to the Queensland club due to their limited on-field prospects.
But Evans said he would launch court action “as quick as we can” against any attempts to block a draftee’s move north to the Suns’ in November’s national draft.
“The only thing I can think where this might have come from, is there are some kids and some families that have a preference not to travel interstate,” Evans said on ABC radio.
“But I’ve yet to hear someone say directly to me, ‘don’t come to the Gold Coast’. That is ridiculous.
Alex Sexton after the loss to Melbourne.
“Tell them to get on the radio and put their balls on the line on radio, and then I’ll smash them in the court.”
Malthouse was adamant some underage players were not keen to be drafted by the Suns.
“Managers have been told by potential recruits for next year ‘I do not want to go to Gold Coast’,” Malthouse said.
“It is a fact. I know several players who have indicated that and that is tampering with the draft.”
Footy greats have declared a state of emergency at the Queensland club as it rallies for an emergency assistance package including a priority draft pick at season’s end.
Leading agent Liam Pickering also said the club needs up to an extra $2 million a year in its salary cap to retain and sign players.
The Suns are determined to again rebuild through the draft after Lynch told the club, as expected, he would leave under free agency rules in October.
The club also faces a fight to keep other senior stars including captain and key defender Steven May, who is out of contract at the end of next season.
Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew with co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May. Picture: Mike Batterham
Senior coach Stuart Dew said the club would look to re-sign May, amid interest from Collingwood.
“’Maysie’ is not alone there,” Dew said.
“There are a lot of guys who are out of contract, so we will always look for early commitment from our players and then from that answer we move forward.
“We have got some work to do to make sure that players want to stay.”
North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey said the Suns should trade May if he doesn’t recommit.
“It’s just not healthy for their footy club right now to go through a similar situation to what they have this year (with Lynch),” Carey said.
“If it means Steven May is another who says ‘I’ll wait’, or in other words I want to leave, then he goes (this year).”
Ex-St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says emergency assistance for the Gold Coast Suns should be followed by the resignations of all senior AFL officials involved in the establishment of the club.
Then AFL COO Gillon McLachlan, CEO Andrew Demetriou, Gold Coast COO Scott Munn and league executive Andrew Catterall leave Gold Coast Council.
The $200 million “Bad News Suns” are set to apply for a priority draft pick and extra financial support after an eighth-consecutive failed season since joining the league in 2011.
Thomas said rival clubs should demand fresh concessions are made on the proviso AFL officials behind its foundation fall on their sword.
“Decent people, when they’ve completely wasted and thrown down the drain bucket loads of other people’s money, hold themselves accountable for that — but I wouldn’t be holding my breathe,” Thomas said.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and league broadcasting boss Travis Auld played major roles in the creation of the competition’s 17th club.
Auld was the club’s inaugural chief executive, while McLachlan and ex-AFL strategist Andrew Catterall were driving forces of expansion back in Melbourne.
An industry heavyweight said: “If it was a public company like BHP, a lot of people would be in trouble. They just wouldn’t last.”
Former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and retired league commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick were the other key drivers behind the creation of the Suns and Greater Western Sydney.
Gold Coast entered its first season under a rookie coach (McKenna), a first-time chief executive (Auld), an untried captain (Gary Ablett) and beginner football boss (Marcus Ashcroft).
Inaugural Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna and captain Gary Ablett.
“Before any assistance is agreed, one must look at what has happened — and why it has happened — and where those responsibilities lie to avoid something like this happening again,” Thomas said.
“There needs to be a very strong focus on the people in charge of those decisions and their level of culpability.
“Unfortunately, within the AFL there’s an ‘all care no responsibility’ culture that has evolved.”
Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett told the Herald Sun last month the Suns’ malaise was “an issue, in one sense, of the AFL’s own making”.
“What we are seeing today is a reflection of concerns that were raised when we were told there was going to be two new clubs,” Kennett said.
“Now the AFL has got to deal with it, there is no way anyone else can.”
Suns players were forced to train and prepare out of portable facilities until late last year and were denied resources in welfare, fitness and sports science.
It was Demetriou who drove the contentious decision to lure NRL star Karmichael Hunt to the Suns on a massive $1 million-a-season contract.
Karmichael Hunt during his time at Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head
Hunt was later implicated in a Queensland Crime Commission cocaine scandal and quit the club after just 44 games.
Disgraced fitness chief Dean “The Weapon” Robinson and sports scientist Stephen Dank also worked at the club in its formative years, supplying star recruit Nathan Bock with the prohibited peptide CJC-1295 in December 2010.
Gold Coast was gifted eight of the first 13 picks in the 2010 national draft, priority access to uncontracted players and elite junior players, including Ablett, and extra millions in the salary cap as part of its generous start-up provisions.
Skipper Tom Lynch is set to join a long line of gun players to exodus the club including Ablett, Jaeger O’Meara, Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy and Charlie Dixon.
Ex-Suns coach Rodney Eade said last year the club’s old facilities were “worse than when I went to the Brisbane Bears”.
“People don’t realise how archaic the facilities were and what players have had to endure. It is just incredible,” Eade said.
“No air-conditioning in the gym when it’s 35 degrees and 90 per cent humidity, insects and rats.”
Gold Coast Football Club Ltd was registered as a business by the AFL in 2007 with league executives Andrew Dillon, Ian Anderson and Simon Lethlean as directors.
Anderson and Lethlean have since departed.
It's time for change Gill and his men have lost control
I would be very interested to know how much money has been put into GWS?
They had Gubby Allen, Kevin Sheedy, Choco Williams, decent facilities, more draft pick and better facilities - maybe that can be the next article
In the Australian Today - tide seems to be turning in the media a little - glad someone in the press is calling them out.
AFL: Gold Coast seem to suffer more than any other club from Chinese whispers
· Greg Denham
Senior Sports Writer
Gold Coast seem to suffer more than any other club from the game known as Chinese whispers. Facts are often distorted by the time they are reported down the eastern seaboard and reach Melbourne.
Maybe it’s because they are owned by the AFL and have yet to be successful despite the perception of lopsided financial assistance and player concessions in their early days.
Big money changed hands to land marquee players including inaugural captain Gary Ablett, the draft was compromised and affected the traditional clubs, just as Greater Western Sydney did to start up soon after.
While the competition has flourished by the additional $46 million annually that the ninth game delivers from broadcast rights, there remains a strong bias in the south of the country, particularly in the media, that want them to fail.
The Suns yesterday fielded one of their most inexperienced teams in their eight-year history and lost to Melbourne at the MCG by 96 points. From the outset — due to a massive hit with injuries — it was always going to be a 100-plus defeat.
Former power club Carlton lost on the same day to a severely undermanned GWS by 105 points. But some media jumped down the throats of Gold Coast.
First, in response to Tom Lynch’s defection back home to Melbourne, Mick Malthouse said it was a shame no players want to go to the Gold Coast. “They are in a non-win situation in my book. My information is a lot of players, a lot of potential AFL players, have mentioned to their managers ‘we do not want to go to the Gold Coast’,” he said.
That was one Chinese whisper that went badly south. The Suns, like every club, have been watching hundreds of kids and talking to their player agents in readiness for this year’s draft. The Australian understands there is no issue with teenagers moving to the Gold Coast other than the normal concern by parents about their teenage sons moving interstate.
Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans yesterday told ABC radio that he could take legal action against any player manager who attempted to block a player’s move to his club. He need not have said that because it is illegal to do so anyway. “Tell them (agents) to get on the radio and put their balls on the line on radio, and then I’ll smash them in court,” Evans said.
Second, it was widely reported last week that inaugural Suns player and current injured star David Swallow took umbrage at the treatment of Lynch by a team leader during their decision to strip him of his co-captaincy role. That never happened. Lynch’s manager Paul Connors said as much late last week following two meetings of players at Metricon Stadium last Thursday. Lynch first told the leadership group of his decision to leave and a few minutes later he addressed all players and club officials.
It appears another case of Chinese whispers that Swallow, who appears certain to commit long term, dressed down teammate Touk Miller over his comments aimed at Lynch’s desire to remain in his leadership role for the rest of the season.
In fact The Australian understands the playing group at the struggling club have never been more united over their entire existence, as they are now.
In today’s Herald Sun, former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas called on emergency help for Gold Coast followed by the resignations of all senior AFL officials involved in the establishment of the 17th club.
Thomas and Malthouse are both sacked coaches struggling for relevance. They are yesterday’s men.
It is important to remember for starters that the Suns generate an additional $23 million per year to the AFL code in a state that is still very much dominated by the rugby codes. And that is no Chinese whisper at the end of the line. Their comments do nothing for the cause.
AFL: Gold Coast seem to suffer more than any other club from Chinese whispers
· Greg Denham
Senior Sports Writer
Gold Coast seem to suffer more than any other club from the game known as Chinese whispers. Facts are often distorted by the time they are reported down the eastern seaboard and reach Melbourne.
Maybe it’s because they are owned by the AFL and have yet to be successful despite the perception of lopsided financial assistance and player concessions in their early days.
Big money changed hands to land marquee players including inaugural captain Gary Ablett, the draft was compromised and affected the traditional clubs, just as Greater Western Sydney did to start up soon after.
While the competition has flourished by the additional $46 million annually that the ninth game delivers from broadcast rights, there remains a strong bias in the south of the country, particularly in the media, that want them to fail.
The Suns yesterday fielded one of their most inexperienced teams in their eight-year history and lost to Melbourne at the MCG by 96 points. From the outset — due to a massive hit with injuries — it was always going to be a 100-plus defeat.
Former power club Carlton lost on the same day to a severely undermanned GWS by 105 points. But some media jumped down the throats of Gold Coast.
First, in response to Tom Lynch’s defection back home to Melbourne, Mick Malthouse said it was a shame no players want to go to the Gold Coast. “They are in a non-win situation in my book. My information is a lot of players, a lot of potential AFL players, have mentioned to their managers ‘we do not want to go to the Gold Coast’,” he said.
That was one Chinese whisper that went badly south. The Suns, like every club, have been watching hundreds of kids and talking to their player agents in readiness for this year’s draft. The Australian understands there is no issue with teenagers moving to the Gold Coast other than the normal concern by parents about their teenage sons moving interstate.
Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans yesterday told ABC radio that he could take legal action against any player manager who attempted to block a player’s move to his club. He need not have said that because it is illegal to do so anyway. “Tell them (agents) to get on the radio and put their balls on the line on radio, and then I’ll smash them in court,” Evans said.
Second, it was widely reported last week that inaugural Suns player and current injured star David Swallow took umbrage at the treatment of Lynch by a team leader during their decision to strip him of his co-captaincy role. That never happened. Lynch’s manager Paul Connors said as much late last week following two meetings of players at Metricon Stadium last Thursday. Lynch first told the leadership group of his decision to leave and a few minutes later he addressed all players and club officials.
It appears another case of Chinese whispers that Swallow, who appears certain to commit long term, dressed down teammate Touk Miller over his comments aimed at Lynch’s desire to remain in his leadership role for the rest of the season.
In fact The Australian understands the playing group at the struggling club have never been more united over their entire existence, as they are now.
In today’s Herald Sun, former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas called on emergency help for Gold Coast followed by the resignations of all senior AFL officials involved in the establishment of the 17th club.
Thomas and Malthouse are both sacked coaches struggling for relevance. They are yesterday’s men.
It is important to remember for starters that the Suns generate an additional $23 million per year to the AFL code in a state that is still very much dominated by the rugby codes. And that is no Chinese whisper at the end of the line. Their comments do nothing for the cause.
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Greg Denham has always been a brilliant journalist who deals in facts not fake news. He’s now called out Hamilton and the BS written about the Lynch meeting. Great article Greg.
He's excellent and of course writes for Australia's only decent newspaper
It just astounds me that the AFL does nothing when these writers fabricate and spread these rumours in the form of 'journalism' and actually allow the articles to be published. especially when half of them go on the official AFL website. it's a joke
Inaugural Gold Coast fitness boss tells of substandard facilities, resources when club entered AFL
JAY CLARK, Herald Sun
August 6, 2018 8:00am
Subscriber only
ANDREW Weller saw the problems first-hand.
As Gold Coast’s first fitness chief, Weller had the job of whipping footy’s young Ferraris into chiselled AFL stars.
But the facilities at the AFL’s newest club were bush league standard.
DRAFT: SUNS CHIEF THREATENS LEGAL ACTION
FOUNDATIONS: 10 WAYS TO RUIN A CLUB’S FUTURE
REPORT: DEMONS’ TOP-FOUR BOOST IN MCG ROMP
The gym was a tin-shed sauna, where workout temperatures would soar to unbearable levels without air-conditioning, and inaugural senior coach Guy McKenna once broke his ankle on the back training oval because the ground was so uneven.
Horribly under-resourced, inexperienced and under-funded, the Suns had the biggest playing list in the competition with the AFL’s smallest coaching and welfare staff.
Weller couldn’t believe the state of affairs on the back oval behind Metricon Stadium in the first few years where the most talented players in the country were forced to run around on a substandard surface.
Gold Coast’s first high performance manager Andrew Weller.
“The players were coming out of the draft and were training on a riverbank out the back that had been cut into the shape of an AFL ground,” Weller told the Herald Sun.
“The surface was rock-hard (in summer) and it was uneven and, in our first season of AFL, the drainage on our AFL training oval wasn’t up to standard because of the rain.
“It would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix.
“In our first AFL season, there were half a dozen occasions when we were forced to train on a basketball court because our ground was full of water.”
The AFL has poured in tens of millions of dollars a year to make the Suns a long-term success, but there were parts of the set-up which were a train wreck.
Former assistant coach Mark Riley said he was stunned by components of the facility, and the lack of administrative experience, when he arrived from Carlton in 2012.
Michael Rischitelli, Gary Ablett and Daniel Gorringe at Gold Coast training in 2011.
“My assumption was the Gold Coast football department operated within the bowels of the sexy stadium,” Riley said.
“So when I went up there, the first thing that jumped out at me was they were operating out of sheds. Crown Hire sheds.
“They did a good job of saying a 10kg weight still weighs 10kg, but resources and environment can build spirit, self-esteem and camaraderie, particularly in a young group.
“And the lack of experienced AFL club operators also jumped out at me, because you looked at every key position at the club, and I say this with absolute respect, but they had no experience in their positions (in time) at other clubs.
“I would have thought that was pretty quintessential at a start-up club.”
No wonder the Suns failed to recruit more senior stars from rival clubs, missing out on guns such as such as James Frawley, Lance Franklin, Nick Riewoldt and Matthew Pavlich.
Over eight years, the Suns have kept going to the draft, and kept failing to play finals.
But what chance did these young players ever have?
Guy McKenna oversees Gold Coast training in 2013.
McKenna said the players and staff were hamstrung by a lack of resources, before he was sacked with one year remaining on his contract in 2014.
“We were replenishing older blokes with younger guys all the time and just retraining and re-educating them around football,” McKenna said.
“We could never get out of that, and we were still stuck in primary school. We couldn’t get to high school.
“I always used to say we have had enough picks. We are young enough, bundle them up and get some older blokes in.”
But the senior stars never came.
The player drain at this club has left the Suns in crisis, requiring extra draft and salary cap assistance to effectively save Gold Coast.
Senior coach Stuart Dew said the Suns would have to go backwards to go forward from here, and it is hoped the new administration led by chief executive Mark Evans can save Gold Coast from the doom loop it is stuck in.
When Weller got the flick in 2012, the Suns were spending about $400,000 less than most clubs in its fitness department, and the constant staff turnover was unsettling for the players.
Gold Coast debutants ahead of inaugural AFL game (from left) Alik Magin, Karmichael Hunt, Harley Bennell, Marc Lock, Seb Tape, Zac Smith, Charlie Dixon, Trent McKenzie, David Swallow, Josh Toy, Dion Prestia and Brandon Matera. Picture: Adam Head
Unsurprisingly, Dion Prestia, Jaeger O’Meara, Charlie Dixon and now Tom Lynch, among others, are out the door.
Weller said the club did not receive the staffing and resources it was promised.
“The facility we started with in the first year was certainly sub-par,” said Weller, who is now physical performance manager at Cricket Australia.
“The most disappointing thing was subsequently what happened after that over the next few years, it didn’t really improve a hell of a lot.
“Going into that year (2012) our facilities and staffing levels were certainly not at the level that were promised, so when the team started under performing in some people’s view, I think the club made some knee-jerk reactions.
“As a broad, outcome, the players were the ones to suffer because there was just so much turnover and when that happens you lose a lot of IP and start again.”
GcSunsfan
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- Feb 17, 2013
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Because 90% of people still don't know how bad the afl set the club up.
people still think we had world class facilities from the start
- Jul 28, 2017
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These stories all coming back out of the closet now is a good thing for the Suns. It really reinforces how much the AFL buggered it up the first time and hopefully makes them give us some assistance at the end of his year and moving forward.
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- Jul 6, 2017
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Sorry for intruding on your board but I have always had the belief that the AFL should have given you guys the right tools from the get go. A coach of the calibre of Alistair Clarkson should have been approached with an open chequebook from the AFL and if it took $5 million per year to prise him out + compensation to Hawthorn then so be it. Then the next level of coaches underneath should also have been headhunted in much the same way. Investment in not just A grade training facilities but a fully functional and operation northern region academy so that young kids had a dedicated pathway to the club (Sydney are profiting from theirs big time). And finally - and I know this would be unpopular with the other clubs, but a bonafide COLA to help retain players.
Look, things are in a bad state right now but you can look down the road to Brisbane and a few years back they were bleeding players but they have not got Fagan and Noble in and things have turned. It might be the best thing to reset using the next 2-3 drafts and trading out guys that won't commit longer term. Culture can be created. I also like the approach from Cochrane who looks like he will draw a line in the sand re Lynch leaving and it seems some of your younger players are dirty he was captain and wants out - that is a start.
Anyway, I hope over the next 2-3 years the club can pull itself out of the problems it has and build from there
Look, things are in a bad state right now but you can look down the road to Brisbane and a few years back they were bleeding players but they have not got Fagan and Noble in and things have turned. It might be the best thing to reset using the next 2-3 drafts and trading out guys that won't commit longer term. Culture can be created. I also like the approach from Cochrane who looks like he will draw a line in the sand re Lynch leaving and it seems some of your younger players are dirty he was captain and wants out - that is a start.
Anyway, I hope over the next 2-3 years the club can pull itself out of the problems it has and build from there
Good article by Denham(thankyou) but I do get a little peeved when journalists describe Queensland as predominantly rugby league(true) but then seek to extrapolate that onto the Gold Coast
I have never seen any evidence that rugby league is any stronger than AFL here on the Coast
Northern NSW yes, Brisbane Ipswich/Logan probably
But not the Gold Coast which is different to the rest of Queensland in so many many ways
I have never seen any evidence that rugby league is any stronger than AFL here on the Coast
Northern NSW yes, Brisbane Ipswich/Logan probably
But not the Gold Coast which is different to the rest of Queensland in so many many ways
These "revelations" in the Herald Sun seem to be quoting Guy McKenna's comments I heard in a podcast last week, without actually giving any credit to that podcast as a source. What they haven't done is include McKenna's quotes about the Suns' footy department budget being set a couple of years before the club began & not being increased to keep pace with inflation in other clubs' footy spending in those 2 years. That meant that we didn't have the funds to attract the likes of Balme, Lloyd & Buttifant when we approached them.
Haven't watched it yet. Was this filmed after this meeting with 'confrontation ' between them? If so surely it puts Hamilton's rubbish to bed.
"he was pretty keen to come up and play for us" when talking about Andrew Swallow.
Still think he would have been a good one to have on the books for leadership qualities and training standards.
would have been stuck in the neafl like barlow, but probably would have been worth a shot.
gcsunsfc
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- Oct 24, 2012
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Yeah, in retrospect seems like a missed opportunity - although would have preferred to have him a couple of years ago - less so this year.
At he time probably felt like another Daniel Harris or Kyal Horsely style player
Not sure he necessarily would have made our game day team better but you'd have to think that a guy who got every inch out of his physical ability, who captained a club to multiple finals campaigns would have added a lot.
Wasn’t room with Rosa Riska and Barlow
Having said that you’d think he’d offer something over a few who’ve played this year
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Having said that you’d think he’d offer something over a few who’ve played this year
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