Gold Coast outlook: Why Suns should play it safe with Elijah Hollands and Matt Rowell
It’s been a long, long time coming, but 2021 just might be the year of the Sun. Are they finally good enough to make the finals?
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Will 2021 finally be the season Gold Coast reaches its first AFL finals series?
After winning four of their first seven games last year, Stuart Dew’s men managed just one more victory from their remaining home and away matches to slump to 14th place.
With superstar youngster Matt Rowell expected to return early from a shoulder injury, do the Suns finally have the talent needed to crack into the top eight? Let’s take a look.
INS: Rory Atkins (Adelaide Crows, free agent), Oleg Markov (Richmond, trade), Elijah Hollands (pick No. 7), Alex Davies (pre-listed to primary list), Joel Jeffrey (pre-listed to primary), Jacob Townsend (rookie draft), Jack Hombsch (rookie draft), Jordan Murdoch (rookie draft), Aiden Fyfe (rookie draft), Ryan Nicholls (rookie draft)
OUTS: Pearce Hanley (retired), Anthony Miles (retired), George Horlin-Smith (retired), Corey Ellis (delisted), Josh Schoenfeld (delisted), Mitch Riordan (delisted), Sam Fletcher (delisted), Jesse Joyce (delisted), Jacob Dawson (delisted), Jacob Heron (delisted), Peter Wright (Essendon, trade)
COACH STATUS
Coach Stuart Dew has a further two seasons on his current deal, which will take him through until the end of 2022.
By then, Dew would want to have his young side well and truly in contention.
The Suns entered the AFL in 2011 and are still yet to play a final.
This club needs success, but surely this time they have the formula right.
This talented young group should put together a period of sustained success for the Gold Coast. Only mismanagement and horrendous luck will prevent them from doing so.
They need to do whatever it takes to hold onto the core of their young stars. No excuses.
GAME PLAN
In 2018, Dew instructed his team to play one-on-one and focus on fundamentals and now a system is being installed.
They have an average age of 24, which is the youngest in the AFL, so it will take some time. But there is a bit to work with.
Gold Coast loves Ben King’s sharp acceleration and fluent set-shot, and Matt Rowell is a jet.
Tough midfielder Hugh Greenwood has become the Suns’ ozone layer and was the AFL’s No. 1 pressure player of 2020.
As a team, their pressure was off the charts.
Despite finishing 14th, they were ranked No. 5 for pressure.
Although, the Suns need to improve their turnover game.
They conceded the sixth-most points from a turnover and rank 12th for points scored from turnovers this year.
Too many of their players hack the pill and they need to find some good ball users.
TRADE TABLE REPORT
It was a quiet trade period for the Suns.
They considered making a play for now ex-Magpie Adam Treloar but that failed to materialise.
Probably for the best given Treloar is not a great kick and they already struggle with ball use.
They did add some speed with the addition of Rory Atkins and former Tiger Oleg Markov for little cost.
Big man Peter Wright and a future third round selection departed in return for a future fourth.
THEIR 2020 DRAFT HAUL
Even at pick No.7, Elijah Hollands is considered a steal for the Suns.
Some in-the-know recruiters believe he could have gone as No. 1 had he not ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament back in February.
The explosive mid-forward wants to get back in time for the start of the 2021 season, but the Suns should be cautious with him.
He’s a long-term investment.
The Suns did very well out of the draft, pre-listing academy stars Alex Davies and Joel Jeffrey onto their primary list before the draft.
It was a big win for the Suns as both players would have been top 20 selections on the open market.
They continue to stockpile young talent.
PLAYERS THEY CAN REINVENT
It’s not exactly a reinvention, but one of the big questions regarding the Suns is whether excitement machine Izak Rankine can add a layer of consistency while still keeping the showboat brilliance?
Hamstring and hip issues prevented the former No. 3 draft selection make his debut in 2019, but the forward burst onto the scene this year with some eye-catching performances, including three goals on debut.
He was, however, accused by some of getting ahead of himself – at times trying to take the spectacular option when it was not needed.
Rankine is still only finding his feet and that experience will come with time.
The priority, although, should be on his consistency.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Matt Rowell burst onto the scene like a blazing Haley’s Comet to open season 2020, chalking up three best-on-ground efforts, and then was wiped out for the season with a devastating shoulder injury.
So he has shown he has the toolkit to dominate games at the elite level.
But can he do it for a season? It will be a fascinating watch.
Opposition teams are fully aware of his ability and no doubt they will test his confidence levels with some close-checking and heavy hits on that rehabilitated shoulder.
It will take a cool head to withstand the heat.
Ben King is the Suns’ other obvious budding superstar.
If he manages a level of consistency, a 50-plus goal season is not out of his reach.
BEST 22 FOR NEXT SEASON
B: Jack Bowes, Sam Collins, Jack Lukosius
HB: Oleg Markov, Charlie Ballard, Connor Budarick
C: Brandon Ellis, Hugh Greenwood, Rory Atkins
HF: Ben Ainsworth, Sam Day, David Swallow
F: Izak Rankine, Ben King, Alex Sexton
R: Jarrod Witts, Matt Rowell, Lachie Weller
Int: Wil Powell, Noah Anderson, Touk Miller, Sam Flanders
CHAMPION DATA SAYS
Good: The Suns won the clearance count by two a game in 2020 – ranked fourth and up from No. 14 in 2019.
Bad: In six of their 10 years they have ranked in the bottom-two sides for kicking efficiency. In 2020, they recorded a kicking efficiency of 60 per cent – ranked 18th.
FINISH THE LAST FIVE YEARS: 2016 15th, 2017 17th, 2018 17th, 2019 18th, 2020 14th
TAB PREMIERSHIP ODDS: $81
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