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Suns in the Media - Part II
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CanYouFeelTheSunburn
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- Jun 9, 2018
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Has anyone got access to this article? https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...k=c7c2c3da712429cac515bff9c59bbd1d-1725534118
in 2025, Mac back to defence, Read 3rd tall forward, Lombard angry tackling forward. Luko VFL? 
“Ultimately, we’re disappointed with where we ended up,” Suns football boss Wayne Campbell told this masthead.
“We wanted to play finals. We thought we had the capabilities to play finals. But we fell short – probably by two games, which is two of the West Coast, North Melbourne and St Kilda games … and the Melbourne game down the track.
“We feel like we’ve made gains to winning a premiership, but we didn’t play finals in 2024.”
“Was it a successful year? Not in terms of wins and losses. But in terms of finding out about our playing list and footy department, we feel like we’re pretty well placed,” Campbell said.
“We know with a set system, it tells you what you’re good at and where you’re deficient.
“Essentially we were good at winning the ball back, we were good at putting the ball back inside 50, but we were poor at retaining it inside 50 and poor at scoring from that. So that then tells us what we need to work on.”
Campbell says the Suns will bank on their young players taking another step in 2025 as a means of overcoming the deficiencies that plagued their rollercoaster 2024 campaign.
“Inside 50 we feel like we have the players on the list.
“We’ve got (Jed) Walter, (Ethan) Read and (Jake) Rogers who will be second-year players – so you can’t pin all your hopes on them – and if we’re lucky enough to pick up Leo Lombard in the draft, he is that angry tackling forward that we need.
“So we feel like the answers are there. It will take a bit of time with those guys, but they do have some experience around them.
“Whilst we will look to add to our list with Noble and Rioli, we also feel like the players on our list can help solve the problems that we had this year.”
Expect Hardwick to quickly settle on a best 23 next season, having spent the majority of his first year in charge moving the magnets around.
The Suns hope to see a noticeable jump in Walter’s output after another off-season working on his forward craft.
And expect to see Andrew return to the backline in 2025, despite ending the year as a key forward.
Read has been earmarked as the third tall inside 50 alongside Ben King and Walter.
“Our efficiency going inside 50 and efficiency retaining the ball inside 50 is the major work. But we don’t feel like going out to get another key forward is the answer because we’ve got three really good ones,” Campbell said.
“If we were to recruit say a Charlie Curnow, would we be better next year? Yes. But you don’t do that, because we’ve got Walter and Read.
“It does mean that in 2025 there will be some inconsistency in performance. It will be more consistent than this year hopefully, but not as consistent as ’26 and ’27 because by then they will be third and fourth-year key forwards.”
AFL season review: Gold Coast Suns fail finals test, have major list calls to make in 2025
“Ultimately, we’re disappointed with where we ended up,” Suns football boss Wayne Campbell told this masthead.
“We wanted to play finals. We thought we had the capabilities to play finals. But we fell short – probably by two games, which is two of the West Coast, North Melbourne and St Kilda games … and the Melbourne game down the track.
“We feel like we’ve made gains to winning a premiership, but we didn’t play finals in 2024.”
“Was it a successful year? Not in terms of wins and losses. But in terms of finding out about our playing list and footy department, we feel like we’re pretty well placed,” Campbell said.
“We know with a set system, it tells you what you’re good at and where you’re deficient.
“Essentially we were good at winning the ball back, we were good at putting the ball back inside 50, but we were poor at retaining it inside 50 and poor at scoring from that. So that then tells us what we need to work on.”
Campbell says the Suns will bank on their young players taking another step in 2025 as a means of overcoming the deficiencies that plagued their rollercoaster 2024 campaign.
“Inside 50 we feel like we have the players on the list.
“We’ve got (Jed) Walter, (Ethan) Read and (Jake) Rogers who will be second-year players – so you can’t pin all your hopes on them – and if we’re lucky enough to pick up Leo Lombard in the draft, he is that angry tackling forward that we need.
“So we feel like the answers are there. It will take a bit of time with those guys, but they do have some experience around them.
“Whilst we will look to add to our list with Noble and Rioli, we also feel like the players on our list can help solve the problems that we had this year.”
Expect Hardwick to quickly settle on a best 23 next season, having spent the majority of his first year in charge moving the magnets around.
The Suns hope to see a noticeable jump in Walter’s output after another off-season working on his forward craft.
And expect to see Andrew return to the backline in 2025, despite ending the year as a key forward.
Read has been earmarked as the third tall inside 50 alongside Ben King and Walter.
“Our efficiency going inside 50 and efficiency retaining the ball inside 50 is the major work. But we don’t feel like going out to get another key forward is the answer because we’ve got three really good ones,” Campbell said.
“If we were to recruit say a Charlie Curnow, would we be better next year? Yes. But you don’t do that, because we’ve got Walter and Read.
“It does mean that in 2025 there will be some inconsistency in performance. It will be more consistent than this year hopefully, but not as consistent as ’26 and ’27 because by then they will be third and fourth-year key forwards.”
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- Dec 3, 2013
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So is it a re-build under hardwick? Cause we also had Day and Chol. Andrew finished nearly as many goals as Jed in 4 games but we'd rather develop the 1st years?
Wish this fifo footy boss would stfu, already making excuses for next year.
Wish this fifo footy boss would stfu, already making excuses for next year.
He lost me when he said Leo is that angry tackling FORWARD that we need
Why? That's exactly what we need. Surely, you don't expect Lombard starting in the middle.
Touk Miller started his career as a high pressure small forward and worked his way into the midfield as a tagger.
Leo will likely do the same.
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- Dec 3, 2013
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We've gone from 80% of the premiership list is here to give our young key forwards some time
Both statements can be true at the same time.
Walter and Read both have massive potential.
We just need to give them time to develop.
If we can give the forward line better ball use, have a couple of high-pressure small forwards to help lock the ball in, and we'll play finals next year.
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80% of the premiership list was a load of crap, if Hardwick believed it he was a bit delusional on our list. Its funny going back and reading the coaching thread when he got announced and everything just expected us to come good despite our list still being as full of holes as Swiss cheese.
I think the whole '80% of the premiership list is here' stuff was at the very least directionally true. It may not be spot on, but.... if the Suns were to use 30 players through the season next year, with seven being 'new' it probably seems about right. Granted, within that seven there'd need to be 2 or 3 exciting and dynamic players, and 3 or 4 rock solid dependable role layers to fill the holes we have – but that's the challenge. And I do reckon it's exactly where Dimmas head would still be as he's making the cuts this year.
I know that’s where he will start…. But calling him a small forward…. He plays mid, one of the best runners. He is getting drafted pick 10 or alike because how great he is as a midfielder
Not a forward pocket.
Lombard has pressure forward written all over him
It means nothing he did not play a lot forward.
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Not much missing IMO. Unfortunately, a lot of young players are part of it who are still developing and just hope.
What are Swiss cheese holes (I suspect you mean many, haha)?
People were screaming for HB - we got 2 line breaking players coming in.
A wing? We got players like Powell, Weller who should play there IMO.
Small pressure forwards - Rogers and Lombard for me. Talls set.
Only a couple of holes.
Surely, we can advance the Dimma's system next year after another preseason. It's only up from the worst inside 50 conversions.
The only problem is other teams will improve too.
I think a pre season of working on more skills than just a new game plan will help a lot of improvement
Does the midfield stand up against Sydney Carlton Brisbane etc?
Or MIA when the going gets tough?
Away from home they’re atleast 25% worse stats wise
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Away is mental, still young. The same midfield did mostly a good job at home. Also bloody Grigg annoys me. He should do a better job with them.
I bet we would be talking differently if Ainsworth kicked that goal, and umpire did not whistle free on Mac. We would be watching Suns this weekend.
We are close. Fixture will be reasonable again. If we don't improve next season I better find something else to do than suffer in front of TV.
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After Ken Hinkley is run out of Snowtown by the ferals next week Ken Hinkley might be back next season as Dimma’s midfield coach.
Albertonarmy
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They are crazy down there at times, if they win next week and the week after he will be the Messiah again
Sorry but that is not happening.
Hawthorn will obliterate Port Adelaide.
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What’s is going on a lt Hawthorn, they have gone from a rabble to belting teams in a matter for weeks and with the same personnel. They ran all over the dogs, very suspicious
KaySwizzle
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Not really suspicious.
They’re doing a Collingwood style of 2022/2023. It relies on confidence, which comes from winning, which gives confidence, which keeps them winning.
Just fast ball movement and running. Small forwards doing work. Everyone having the belief that the players will be in the right spots. Taking insane risks with ball movement sometimes but backing in their speed to cover for mistakes.
Their list is actually in a good profile spot.
They have just enough experience or mature bodies with players like Scicily, Amon, Impy, Moore, Frost, Breust, Gunston, Hardwick etc.
They recently recruited bargain basement players in Ginni, Chol, D’Ambrassio, Meek etc., some of which are very good.
And this then goes with some top end picks from their last few years of being at the bottom, like Day, Watson, Worpell, Newcombe, plus Macguiness and Dear as F/S recruits.
It means that across the park they are young, but not super young.
And when they are winning, they have a massive fan base to pump them up.
I think the coaching culture around them has developed these players to bring their absolute best especially under pressure I notice they play on complete instinct they dont think twice about what they do with the ball and hence they mostly make the right decisions. They were everywhere last night even when they were tackled they gave off a penetrating handball to someone who could attack, incredible
13. GOLD COAST SUNS (11-12, 99.1%)
Three word analysis
Home sweet home
What went right
They won a lot of games at home venues! Of their 11 games at either People First Stadium or TIO Stadium, the Suns won 10 of them as they began to make their Carrara venue a fortress. The record-breaking win over Geelong in Darwin was breathtaking, while the victory over Collingwood in late June was inspirational. The Damien Hardwick forward-half DNA was also apparent from early on. They ranked second in the competition for forward-half intercepts, while they were also top seven for inside 50 differential, time in forward half differential and points from forward-half intercepts. Ben King had another solid year in front of goal finishing with 55.26, while Sam Flanders thrived as a full-time midfielder. Sam Collins will be in the All-Australian mix, while Mac Andrew and Bodhi Uwland also starred in defence. Plus the acquisitions of Ben Long via trade and Sam Clohesy via the rookie draft also paid dividends.
What went wrong
They lost a lot of games at away venues! In fact it took until Round 22 against Essendon for the Suns to finally register a win away from Gold Coast and Darwin this year. Significant losses to the Swans (-53 point), Bulldogs (-48) and Giants (-39) were particularly perplexing, considering the momentum Hardwick’s troops had generated in the lead up to all of those matches. A constant frustration for Suns fans and footy pundits this year was Gold Coast’s inefficiency forward of centre. They ranked last in the competition for kick inside 50 retention percentage, while they were also bottom three for scores per inside 50 percentage and forward 50 groundball differential. Jack Lukosius had a frustrating season and, despite being contracted, could be on his way out in the coming weeks. Bailey Humphrey probably hasn’t kicked on as quickly as what pundits thought, although he’s still only two years into his AFL journey.
What they need
Some class with ball in-hand. The Suns didn’t have one player inside the top 40 rated kicks (based on kick rating) across the competition. The answer could be in the 2025 draft as their top academy prospect Zeke Uwland — the brother of Bodhi Uwland — might be the best player in the class. But that doesn’t help the Suns in the short-term. Could the answer be Daniel Rioli? The triple premiership Tiger, who had an excellent 2024 season amid Richmond’s horror win-loss record, has been heavily linked to the Suns, despite being contracted to Richmond until the end of 2027. Rioli’s ball use further up the ground could help the Suns immensely.
What time is it on the premiership clock?
(5pm): Considering this season their list was ranked eighth for both average age and games played, you would’ve hoped by now the Suns’ time would’ve ticked to at least 6pm or even 7pm. But this team and playing list can’t be trusted yet. Hardwick famously said at his first press conference as Gold Coast coach that 80 per cent of his premiership list was sitting in the same room. That should still be the case. But 2025 is truly go-time for the Suns — and Hardwick’s grace period will be over. No more excuses, they must make finals … at least.
Season grade
D
— Ben Waterworth
www.foxsports.com.au
Three word analysis
Home sweet home
What went right
They won a lot of games at home venues! Of their 11 games at either People First Stadium or TIO Stadium, the Suns won 10 of them as they began to make their Carrara venue a fortress. The record-breaking win over Geelong in Darwin was breathtaking, while the victory over Collingwood in late June was inspirational. The Damien Hardwick forward-half DNA was also apparent from early on. They ranked second in the competition for forward-half intercepts, while they were also top seven for inside 50 differential, time in forward half differential and points from forward-half intercepts. Ben King had another solid year in front of goal finishing with 55.26, while Sam Flanders thrived as a full-time midfielder. Sam Collins will be in the All-Australian mix, while Mac Andrew and Bodhi Uwland also starred in defence. Plus the acquisitions of Ben Long via trade and Sam Clohesy via the rookie draft also paid dividends.
What went wrong
They lost a lot of games at away venues! In fact it took until Round 22 against Essendon for the Suns to finally register a win away from Gold Coast and Darwin this year. Significant losses to the Swans (-53 point), Bulldogs (-48) and Giants (-39) were particularly perplexing, considering the momentum Hardwick’s troops had generated in the lead up to all of those matches. A constant frustration for Suns fans and footy pundits this year was Gold Coast’s inefficiency forward of centre. They ranked last in the competition for kick inside 50 retention percentage, while they were also bottom three for scores per inside 50 percentage and forward 50 groundball differential. Jack Lukosius had a frustrating season and, despite being contracted, could be on his way out in the coming weeks. Bailey Humphrey probably hasn’t kicked on as quickly as what pundits thought, although he’s still only two years into his AFL journey.
What they need
Some class with ball in-hand. The Suns didn’t have one player inside the top 40 rated kicks (based on kick rating) across the competition. The answer could be in the 2025 draft as their top academy prospect Zeke Uwland — the brother of Bodhi Uwland — might be the best player in the class. But that doesn’t help the Suns in the short-term. Could the answer be Daniel Rioli? The triple premiership Tiger, who had an excellent 2024 season amid Richmond’s horror win-loss record, has been heavily linked to the Suns, despite being contracted to Richmond until the end of 2027. Rioli’s ball use further up the ground could help the Suns immensely.
What time is it on the premiership clock?
(5pm): Considering this season their list was ranked eighth for both average age and games played, you would’ve hoped by now the Suns’ time would’ve ticked to at least 6pm or even 7pm. But this team and playing list can’t be trusted yet. Hardwick famously said at his first press conference as Gold Coast coach that 80 per cent of his premiership list was sitting in the same room. That should still be the case. But 2025 is truly go-time for the Suns — and Hardwick’s grace period will be over. No more excuses, they must make finals … at least.
Season grade
D
— Ben Waterworth
Swans’ perfect year turns sour on big stage... and sparks GF hoodoo fear: Every club’s 2024 reviewed
Swans’ perfect year turns sour... and sparks GF truth we can’t ignore: Every club’s 2024
www.foxsports.com.au
