Major milestones for Gold Coast Suns stars
Gold Coast Suns gun Ben Ainsworth is set to receive a major honour and add his name to Suns history in Sunday’s clash with the Adelaide Crows.
AFL
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Suns forward Ben Ainsworth is bracing for a blockbuster clash for his 150th AFL game when Gold Coast takes on Adelaide on Sunday.
In the first meeting between the sides since the Suns’ controversial one-point win over the Crows in round 4, Ainsworth expects a fierce contest.
The game will also have major finals implications for both sides.
Gold Coast could potentially move into the top four with a game in hand if they prevail over Adelaide, while a defeat would see them teetering on the edge of the top eight.
“The Crows will be pretty similar to us in terms of getting speed on the ball … so we can’t wait to get over there and it should be a good contest,” Ainsworth said.
“They’ve been playing some good footy, obviously beating the Doggies (Western Bulldogs) on the weekend so we’ll have to be at our best and I’m sure they’ll bring their best.”
Ainsworth was honoured to have the chance to make history as just the seventh player to play 150 games for Gold Coast.
“It’s a pretty cool achievement, I’ll have some time to reflect with family and friends after the game but to get to 150 games and be a life member of this footy club is pretty important to me,” he said.
“I wouldn’t want to do it anywhere else.”
Ainsworth put pen to paper last year to extend his time with the club until 2028 and was over the moon with the growth the team has shown over the last 12 months.
“I’m stoked, you could probably see the writing on the wall a little bit in terms of where the club was heading and the success that we’re about to have,” he said.
“So I couldn’t be more glad to be hanging around here.
“We’re starting to improve week by week so looking forward to hopefully playing finals down the track.
“We just take it one week at a time but we’ve been instilling great belief in the group that we can actually take it up to the good sides like we did against Collingwood.”
One prize motivating Rioli ahead of his 200th AFL game
Suns defender Daniel Rioli says the thirst to win Gold Coast’s first AFL premiership is the biggest driving force keeping him going ahead of his 200th game at the top level.
Rioli will make history this Sunday by becoming the first with his famous surname to play 200 VFL/AFL games when Gold Coast play Adelaide in round 19 of the competition.
One of the game’s most iconic families, the honour of reaching the milestone is not lost on the 28-year-old.
“It’s obviously pretty special, coming from the Tiwi Islands, I just wanted to play AFL footy in front of the big crowds,” he said.
“When I first got to the Richmond Football Club I wanted to play one game and I knew my grandfather Maurice played 118 games for Richmond and I tried to reach that.
“Then I got past my grandfather and figured out Cyril was on 189 and then I went past that and now it’s just me trying to get more games into me.
“To get to 200 is pretty special and I’m obviously proud of myself and couldn’t have done it without my fiance, family, everyone that’s played a big part in my journey.
“I am looking forward to the occasion and should be a good game against the Crows.”
He may have three premierships and 199 games under his belt, but Rioli has shown no signs of slowing down.
He said the sport is a form of escape for him and has one key goal driving him to continue playing at the elite level as he attempts to win a fourth flag, something Cyril managed to do at Hawthorn.
“The Suns haven’t played in a final so we haven’t won any premierships yet but to be a part of Gold Coast’s first premiership is going to be special,” he said.
“That’s obviously our end goal, we’re not looking too far ahead, we’re just focusing on the next shift which is Adelaide.
“We want to show the Gold Coast people that we mean business and we’re a completely different side to the previous Gold Coast Suns.”
Few figures have had such a big impact on Rioli like Suns coach Damien Hardwick, who mentored him at Richmond before doing the same on the Gold Coast.
“He’s been massive for me, when I first got drafted to Richmond he was there and I lived with him for two years so I have a really good connection with him,” Rioli said.
“I got to see the footy side of Dimma and the family side of Dimma.
“He’s got a good balance of switching, he’s obviously a very good coach and then a family man also.”
Gold Coast takes on Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions in its next two fixtures to round out a blockbuster trio of clashes and Rioli said his side’s win against Collingwood is proof the team is stronger than ever before.
“We’re just showing what we’re capable of, we’re not the Gold Coast side that crumbles under pressure, we're hungry, we’re maturing in every game and I think it showed on the weekend,” he said.
“We can match it against any team, it is an exciting year and I’m looking forward to where this group is heading.”
Originally published as Major milestones for Gold Coast Suns stars
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