The Suns’ Revival: Retaining a Star Could Spark Their Comeback

Rowell expected to sign on with Suns | 01:01

It’s all in front of Gold Coast in 2025.

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There’s so much reason to believe the Suns can finally break their finals duck and play on the September stage for the first time in club history.

There’s been little teases along the journey, including Gary Ablett’s brilliant early run and a reset under Stuart Dew with the majority of the current group of players.

But now in year two under Damien Hardwick and a supremely talented list that doesn’t want for anything and is starting to mature, the Suns have never been better placed to play finals.

After all, the three-time premiership coach sensationally said after being appointed as coach the club already had “80 per cent of our first premiership side” on its list.

Since then the club has been busy in trying to fill that other 20 per cent, drafting highly-rated Academy players Jed Walter, Ethan Read, Jake Rogers, Will Graham and Leo Lombard, while also acquiring Daniel Rioli and John Noble last trade period.

Just as importantly, the Suns haven’t lost any key stars during that period — unlike previous years. Although one of their most important players, Matt Rowell, faces a big contract call this year as Victorian rival clubs circle, placing even more importance on this upcoming season.

The Suns weren’t that far off last year, winning a club-record 11 games and finishing 13th. They only need a few extra things to go their way to make a leap.

With a bolder new look, they’ve got all the ingredients they need at their disposal. It’s now about bringing it all together and getting the consistent results on field.

But unlike last year, when in some ways Hardwick was afforded some leeway while he got his feet under the desk, there are greater expectations on Gold Coast to succeed and become a true contender in the AFL — much like fellow expansion club GWS has in a shorter period.

“I think Hardwick’s going to be judged harshly, because we’ve been expecting Gold Coast to play finals for a long time,” Cats champion Cameron Mooney told foxfooty.com.au.

“They’ve got a very good group. Is 12 to 18 months enough time for Dimma to get these guys to play finals football? I say this with all due respect, they’ve been a black mark for the AFL for over a decade now. They’ve never played finals and been really poor most years.”

Mooney believes the most important thing for the Suns from a bigger perspective is to retain their talent after “players have come and gone”, including the likes of Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia, Steven May and Jaeger O’Meara.

And so Rowell’s looming call will be telling on how strong the current foundations are compared to previous iterations.

“Their main job now under ‘Dimma’ (Hardwick) is to keep these players. Brisbane was a train wreck until Chris Fagan got there then all the players stayed and the end result is they get a premiership,” he added.

Wil Powell, Ben King and Matt Rowell of the Suns. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“For too long, teams like Gold Coast has been a feeder club to everyone else, particularly back in Melbourne. They’ve got to keep these players together. I hope Rowell stays, I think he could build something pretty special with this young group.

“Under ‘Dimma’, whether it’s this year or next, you’ve got to think they’re ready to launch at some stage.”

Five-time premiership Hawk Dermott Brereton was also bullish about the Suns’ direction, but highlighted the challenges of going from a middle-ranked side to a bona fide finalist.

“They can seriously improve and only win one or more games than they did in season 2024,” he told foxfooty.com.au’s Jack Jovanovski.

“It doesn’t always show itself in this linear climb of wins. You can actually be a better team, and for whatever reason, you might lose six games inside nine points. You’re a better team, because you pushed the really good guys to the line, but (you) still haven’t got the W.

“So I think they will have a year where we say ‘they are better, they are definitely better’. But it’s whether they can win the requisite minimum two more games (from 11 to 13) to guarantee finals.

“Jumping from 11 to 13 is harder than jumping from four to six, or four to eight. You’re a little bit more of a project which other teams study if you start to play really well. So, not only will they draw heat to themselves, they’re going to be better.”

STRENGTHS

Midfield. The Suns’ midfield is as stacked as any in the competition, led by new skipper Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and Touk Miller. Could this be the year Ned Moyle takes over the No. 1 ruck from Jarrod Witts? Don’t forget about Ethan Read, too. As talented as that on-ball group is, whether Damien Hardwick runs other options through there to give them a different look and another dimension will be one to watch. The likes of Sam Flanders, Will Graham and Alex Davies could take on more responsibilities, as well as Jake Rogers and Bailey Humphrey. The Suns also have arguably as much upside as any side, with the majority of their list still coming into their prime. More growth from the likes of Mac Andrew, Walter, Humphrey, Read, Moyle, Graham, Rogers and Sam Clohesy plus whatever Rioli, Noble and Lombard provide could make a major difference as well as this group connecting more as a collective. Heck, Anderson, Rowell and Flanders are all still 24 and under, so even they have upside.

And upside. Brereton was particularly excited by the development of Jed Walter, with the second-year young gun to form a scary one-two key forward punch with Ben King. Brereton said: “I think that kid has an enormous upside. Yeah, he’s got a presence (size) about him. But there’s a couple of things I’d love to see; a really smart (specialist) coach to work with him … I think I might’ve even just about coined the phrase ‘craft’ about 15 years ago. A coach who knows the forward craft; a little bit like Cam Mooney does (for) GWS. A coach who can take him aside and show him specifics. Absolute identification of certain plays where he will be able to get more of the footy and impact the games more. Because there are zero problems with his application, his application is through the roof. At the moment, you’ve got this huge potential. This vehicle (that’s) just ready, just sitting in the driveway at the moment, and he’s revving the throttle, really revving it. But at the moment, he hasn’t had the skills to take it around the streets.”

WEAKNESS

Playing away from home. Clearly a major problem last year, for the Suns made People First Stadium a fortress but couldn’t replicate that form on the road. In fact, it took until Round 22 against Essendon — after the siren, too — for Gold Coast to get its first away victory last year. Before that they suffered heavy losses in enemy territory to the Swans (-53 point), Bulldogs (-48) and Giants (-39). By comparison, they won 10 of their 11 home games last year (at either People First Stadium or TIO Stadium). For the Suns to play finals they first have to become a consistent home and away team — and that includes being able to play anywhere. Though not necessarily a weakness, there’s also just a general need for this Suns group to have greater belief in itself and mature as a whole. Hardwick himself declared after a loss to North Melbourne they needed to “grow the f*** up” — and that’s as bluntly and concisely as you can sum up how this side gets to another level.

PREMIERSHIP CLOCK

5pm. And moving in the right direction. 2025 is officially go time for this club and the time for excuses is over. They should have genuine finals aspirations, if not more, and the club giving up significant draft capital to get Rioli, and to a lesser degree, Noble through the door tells you exactly where they think they are. They ranked eighth in the competition for both average age and games played last season, so their profile is also that of a finals team despite having so much promising youth. Continue to blood that exciting youth coming through and win a few more games and Suns fans could finally have something to cheer loud and proud for. A defining year.

PREDICTED LADDER RANGE

6th-10th

PREDICTED OPENING ROUND TEAM

B: M.Andrew, S.Collins, B.Uwland

HB: D.Rioli, C.Ballard, J.Noble

C: S.Clohesy, N.Anderson, L.Weller

HF: B.Ainsworth, E.Read, B.Humphrey

F: B.Long, B.King, J.Rogers

FOLL: J.Witts, M.Rowell, T.Miller

I/C: W.Graham, L.Lombard, T.Berry, C.Budarick, W.Powell

EMG: E. Himmelberg, A.Davies, D.Swallow