Gold Coast’s 2016 report card: Injuries take toll in horror season
THEY say lightning doesn’t strike twice but it did for the Suns in 2016. Where is the club at? We review Gold Coast’s horror 2016 season.
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THEY say lightning doesn’t strike twice but it did for the Suns in 2016.
Once again a season has passed where the club’s coaching staff and supporters were unable to get an accurate gauge on what the club’s best side is capable of, or for that matter what it looks like.
Club officials who thought 2015 was the worst injury crisis they had seen in a lifetime in football were left speechless when the casualty ward numbers reached then exceeded those of the previous year.
These days at Metricon Stadium a four week absence is considered minor.
In his two years at the Suns Rodney Eade has never coached Jaeger O’Meara, and now that the gun midfielder has declared his intent to find a new home, he’ll never get the chance.
David Swallow didn’t play a game this year and Gary Ablett, Dion Prestia again missed large chunks of the season and Michael Rischitelli’s season also ended prematurely.
Then there was the gaping holes in the defence, Rory Thompson, Trent McKenzie and Adam Saad all had long injury lay-offs and Steven May served a five week ban for a brutal shirtfront on Lion Stefan Martin which was the low point of the season.
The Suns started the season well with three wins before Thompson and May went out of the side which triggered a shocking six week spell.
They regrouped to win another three games in the middle of the year and also pushed GWS and Hawthorn to the wire but then limped home to end another frustrating year.
2016 SNAPSHOT
WINS: 6
LOSSES: 16
DRAWS: 0
LADDER POSITION: 15th
PERCENTAGE: 78.2
LAST YEAR: 16th (up one place)
WHAT WENT RIGHT
The continued rise of forward Tom Lynch is a huge plus for the Suns after he booted 66 goals in a standout season, coming fourth in the Coleman Medal. Even better, he committed his future to the club until at least the end of 2018. Jarrod Harbrow had a good season in defence, coming second to Lynch in the club’s best and fairest, while the rise of Jack Martin and Touk Miller is a massive positive for the club heading into season 2017. With Jaeger O’Meara and Dion Prestia on the way out, those two will be asked to play key roles in the Suns’ future.
WHAT WENT WRONG
A more pertinent question might be what didn’t go wrong for the Suns this year? Injuries, injuries and more injuries derailed a promising start to the season that saw Rodney Eade’s team win its opening three games. But with Gary Ablett missing half the year after requiring more shoulder surgery, David Swallow missing the entire season and Michael Rischitelli tearing his ACL, Eade’s hands were tied. Then came the inevitable — trade requests from Prestia and O’Meara.
RECRUITING DEPARTMENT REVIEW
Draft picks: Callum Ah Chee (pick 8), Brayden Fiorini (20), Joshua Schoenfeld (34), Mackenzie Willis (52), Tom Keough (rookie), Darcy MacPherson (rookie), Ryan Davis (rookie), Cameron Loersch (rookie), Danny Stanley (rookie), Jesse Joyce (rookie).
Trade/free agency acquisitions: Matt Rosa (West Coast), Daniel Currie (North Melbourne), Jarrad Grant (delisted free agent)
The Suns appear to have fared better from the draft rather than its acquisions from rival clubs following the debut seasons of Ah Chee, Fiorini, Schoenfeld, MacPherson and Davis. Fiorini may be the pick of the bunch after his late-season debut against Collingwood and starring role against Port Adelaide when he had 32 disposals, laid 12 tackles and kicked two goals. Ah Chee made a fine start to his career before suffering injury and MacPherson was upgraded early on after impressive NEAFL form but was also an injury victim. Matt Rosa will play a role next year after managing 15 games in another injury-interrupted year but Grant and Currie didn’t add much.
HIGHLIGHT AND LOWLIGHT
There weren’t many highlights but pushing GWS at Metricon Stadium in Round 20 has to be up there. Eade praised his resilient group after that game, which it lost by just eight points, in pushing a top-four team to the brink. Recording its first-ever win at Subiaco, against Fremantle in Round 2, had the Suns’ season off to a good start.
There were many lowlights but the six-point loss to Essendon in Round 21 has to be the worst. Losing to the depleted Bombers at Etihad Stadium was embarrassing and Eade labelled it as such, while the 120-point loss to Geelong at Simonds Stadium wasn’t much better. Then there was the Round 22 smashing at the hands of Collingwood. What a horror season.
THE COACH
Injuries have almost delivered an alibi for Rodney Eade. He is judged favourably on the cultural improvements at the club and the development of Touk Miler and Jack martin is a major plus, but he will still enter the final year of his contract under pressure.
YOU SAID IT
“We’ve made huge gains as a footy club this year, on and off field,” May said.
‘We’ve laid a lot of foundations and we’ve found some younger players who can be part of our team next year.
“Apart from the injuries, it’s been a successful year. Although the wins don’t stack up, we feel like we’re in a better place.’’
BEST AND FAIREST
Tom Lynch comfortably won his second consecutive club championship, while Jack Martin’s first injury free year saw him finish in the placings.
SUPERCOACH STUD
Can’t go past Gaz, despite the fact he played just 14 games for the season. He still managed to average 114.1 points per game and showed he can still be the 130+ gun midfielder in our teams. Topped 130 points four times and the ton six times.
SUPERCOACH DUD
Kade Kolodjashnij averaged 89.4 last year in a breakout SuperCoach season but completely dudded those who picked him in their defence in 2016. He averaged just 69 points in his 19 games and dropped a massive $164,500 from his opening price throughout the year.
THE LIST
ELITE: Gary Ablett
BIG IMPROVERS: Tom Lynch, Sam Day, Jack Martin, Touk Miller
GONE: Seb Tape (delisted), Luke Russell (delisted), Danny Stanley (delisted), Tom Keough (delisted)
GOING, GOING? Jaeger O’Meara, Dion Prestia, Daniel Currie, Jarrad Grant
TRADE BAIT: Trent McKenzie, Aaron Hall
ON THE BLOCK
The Suns are debating trading out jet heeled midfielder Aaron Hall. He would be in strong demand because of his evasive skills and extreme pace but repeatedly tests the patience of his coach and team mates because of his struggles to adhere to team rules.
WHAT THEY NEED
Tom Nicholls has shouldered the ruck load and when he went down with injury there was no one to step up. Daniel Currie has spent time on two other AFL lists but hasn’t banged the door down, so the Suns would be well-served pursuing a decent developing or fringe ruckman such as Magpie Jarrod Witts of Fremantle free agent Zac Clarke. The Suns also need more midfielders with good kicking skills to cover the loss of O’Meara and Prestia. Hamish Hartlett would fit that mould.
PREMIERSHIP CLOCK
2016 could be looked upon as another wasted year for the Suns but important development of players such as Peter Wright, Alex Sexton and Callum Ah Chee occurred. With luck on the injury front next year and success in the draft and trade period, they should play finals in 2017. 9pm
THE STATS
Source: Champion Data
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