Can Gold Coast Suns avoid same mistakes from 2010 with AFL's new bailout package?
Gold Coast had eight picks in the first 15 at the 2010 draft and access to the AFL's best out-of-contract players before their debut season. Yet nine years later, the Suns are preparing for a second chance at starting out. Can they get it right this time?
Tim Michell
3 min read
September 30, 2019 - 7:30AM
Stuart Dew's Gold Coast will have access to the best two young players in Australia.
Nine years on from the draft which was supposed to provide the foundations of its first premiership team, Gold Coast is about to start again.
The Suns will also have pick No.20 in this year's draft, plus a mid-first-round selection in 2020 and currently and the first selection in the second round in 2021 to help their cause.
Gold Coast had similar assistance in 2011, when it held eight of the opening 15 picks in the national draft.
Key-position player Sam Day is the only player taken in that who remains at Metricon Stadium.
No.2 pick Harley Bennell was delisted by Fremantle at the end of this season, while Josh Caddy (pick 7), Dion Prestia (pick 9) and Tom Lynch (pick 11) featured in Richmond's premiership team.
Gold Coast's 2016 leadership group, which featured Gary Ablett, Dion Prestia, Tom Lynch and Steven May.
Defender Seb Tape played 40 games for the Suns before being delisted, while ruckman Daniel Gorringe was delisted in 2015 and subsequently signed for Carlton.
Of the players recruited under rules designed to help Gold Coast build its initial list in 2011 and 2012, only Day (120 games), Gary Ablett (110), Michael Rischitelli (132) and Jarrod Harbrow (175) have played more than 100 games.
The club was given access to players who had previously nominated for the draft at the end of 2010, sending Peter Faulks to Fremantle, Andrew Krakouer and Jon Ceglar to Collingwood, Rohan Bewick to Brisbane Lions, Tendai Mzungu to the Dockers, Cameron Richardson to North Melbourne and Simon Phillips to Port Adelaide.
Of the players netted in those six deals, Jared Brennan (54) featured in the most games for Gold Coast.
Superboot Trent McKenzie (106 games) provided the greatest value of the 12 17-year-olds acquired before the club entered the AFL, with Matthew Shaw (102) and Brandon Matera (101) reaching a century of games on the sunshine strip.
But seven of those initial selections played 32 matches or less, including one of the game's leading defenders in 2020 Alex Keath.
In contrast, GWS' 17-year-old haul included future stars Adam Treloar, Dylan Shiel and Jeremy Cameron.
Keath walked away from a contract with the Suns to pursue a cricket career.
Perhaps the most glaring error in Gold Coast's initial recruiting strategy was passing on the opportunity to sign Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko.
The QAFL star was available to the Suns as a Queensland-based priority pick, but they instead traded him to Brisbane for draft pick No.34.
Whether Gold Coast has learned from the mistakes of the past will become clear in coming months.
Dayne Zorko could have been a Gold Coast player.
GOLD COAST'S INITIAL RECRUITING
17-year-old selections (games in brackets)
Brandon Matera (10)
Trent McKenzie (106)
Luke Russell (73)
Mav Weller (32)
Taylor Hine (9)
Josh Toy (13)
Matt Shaw (102)
Piers Flanagan (3)
Hayden Jolly (6)
Alex Keath (0)
Jack Hutchins (19)
Tom Nicholls (45)
2011 National Draft
Pick 2 Harley Bennell (81)
Pick 3 Sam Day (120)
Pick 5 (traded in deal for pick 10 - Daniel Gorringe (22) and other picks)
Pick 7 Josh Caddy (24)
Pick 9 Dion Prestia (95)
Pick 11 Tom Lynch (131)
Pick 13 Seb Tape (40)
Pick 15 traded to Geelong as Gary Ablett compo (110)
Gold Coast teammates Josh Caddy and Dion Prestia on draft night.
2011 rookie draft (Suns had picks 1-5)
Daniel Harris (11)
Michael Coad (6)
Sam Iles (26)
Roland Ah Chee (0)
Danny Stanley (83)
Experienced players on-traded at end of 2010
Peter Faulks - Suns used pick 55 acquired in deal with Fremantle to land pick 25 from Collingwood. The Suns used the pick as compensation for Jared Brennan (54)
Andrew Krakouer - Traded to Collingwood as part of deal for pick 25.
Jon Ceglar - Traded to Collingwood as part of deal for pick 25.
Rohan Bewick - became pick 48, which was used on Jacob Gilbee (6)
Tendai Mzungu - pick from Fremantle Used to draft Jeremy Taylor at pick No.39 (10).
Cameron Richardson - Gained pick 35 from North Melbourne.
Simon Phillips - traded pick 35 and Phillips for Nathan Krakouer compensation pick. Via some complex trades this was eventually used in 2013 on Jack Leslie (28).
Nathan Bock was signed by the Suns as an out-of-contract player.
Signed ahead of 2011 under out-of-contract rules
Nathan Bock (27)
Gary Ablett (110)
Nathan Krakouer (13)
Campbell Brown (46)
Michael Rischitelli (132)
Jarrod Harbrow (175)
Josh Fraser (18)
Jared Brennan (54)
Updates
Tom Lynch's Mad Monday Rance dig
Al Paton
Premiership goalkicker Tom Lynch clearly has a good memory.
He got his own back on Alex Rance today more than a year after the Tigers defender wondered aloud if recruiting the then Gold Coast captain was the best idea.
Rance told Fox Footy in May last year: "I'm really proud of the way our list management has been over the last few years.
"Dusty is the best player in the competition, in my opinion, and deserves the dollars he gets.
"But I don't necessarily believe that we should be upsetting the apple cart, to go and chase a big fish … he (Lynch) is the big tuna."
This was Lynch's costume for Richmond's Mad Monday celebrations today. He posted the image on Instagram with the caption: "Apple carts hey"
It pays to know where your premiership medal is when the party kicks on into the early hours of Sunday morning.
Norm Smith medallist Dustin Martin learned that lesson the hard way when he woke up without his on Sunday.
However, it was quickly established the medal had gone home with another Brownlow medallist – former Western Bulldogs and Essendon midfielder Adam Cooney.
“(Cooney’s wife) Hayley asked Dusty if she could just try the premiership medal on and ended up wearing it for an hour or two,” Cooney told trade radio.
“We ended up actually taking it home and woke up on the Sunday morning and had the premiership medal next to the bed.
“There was a brief period there where I dreamt I’d won a flag. We stole Dusty’s medal. I think he has got it back now.”
After a premiership proved elusive during his 250-game AFL career, Cooney said: “Finally woke up on a Sunday morning after the grand final with a premiership medal.”
The case of Dusty's missing medal
Tim Michell
It pays to know where your premiership medal is when the party kicks on into the early hours of Sunday morning.
Norm Smith medallist Dustin Martin learned that lesson the hard way when he woke up without his on Sunday.
However, it was quickly established the medal had gone home with another Brownlow medallist – former Western Bulldogs and Essendon midfielder Adam Cooney.
“(Cooney’s wife) Hayley asked Dusty if she could just try the premiership medal on and ended up wearing it for an hour or two,” Cooney told trade radio.
“We ended up actually taking it home and woke up on the Sunday morning and had the premiership medal next to the bed.
“There was a brief period there where I dreamt I’d won a flag. We stole Dusty’s medal. I think he has got it back now.”
After a premiership proved elusive during his 250-game AFL career, Cooney said: “Finally woke up on a Sunday morning after the grand final with a premiership medal.”
Brisbane excited to welcome Ellis-Yolmen
Tim Michell
Brisbane football manager David Noble has been discussing the club's pending recruitment of Adelaide midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen.
"He's got power to get through the stoppage, he just needs to continue to improve his tank. We think he still has more upside to develop over the next couple of years"
Nerves erupted in the Richmond coaches box with nine minutes to go in the Grand Final, even though the Tigers had the game well in hand.
Premiership coach Damien Hardwick says Tiger officials were mindful of remaining respectful to opponent GWS, despite the 89-point margin.
But assistant coach “bloody Blake Caracella” brought the tension to the head when wanted to get down to the ground before the final siren.
“I’ll never forget bloody Blake Caracella at nine minutes to go … he started packing up his computer, right in front of me, and I thought ‘can you hurry up and either get out the way or sit down’,” Hardwick said on SEN radio.
“I was still on edge, even then.”
Hardwick says no one in the box wanted to acknowledge the elephant in the room — the game was done before three-quarter-time.
“You’re always on your guard … towards the back end of the third quarter, we sort of felt we were far enough, but no one really wanted to say anything,” he said.
“We also wanted to be respectful because GWS had a hell of a great season, they played three fantastic finals games and just looked a little bit tired in the end.”
Another Crows mid headed to Queensland
Tim Michell
Hugh Greenwood is set to join the Adelaide exodus and join Gold Coast.
Fox Footy reports the out of contract Crow will sign a three-year deal with a simple games trigger for a fourth season.
The 27-year-old has played 51 games since debuting in 2017.
Adelaide is aware of Greenwood’s desire to join the Suns and will seek adequate trade compensation in October.
It’s believed they will not settle for a late pick.
The former Dockers ruck-forward was unveiled as Ross Lyon's successor today and said: “I decided a long time ago (I wanted to be a senior coach). It’s something that’s always been a goal of mine since I retired from the game.”
He will join the Dockers after most recently serving as an assistant coach under Nathan Buckley at Collingwood.
Dale Alcock: Justin has the football smarts that we require and he's also a genuine character who can take our club forward to future success #foreverfreo
The former Dockers ruck-forward was unveiled as Ross Lyon's successor today and said: “I decided a long time ago (I wanted to be a senior coach). It’s something that’s always been a goal of mine since I retired from the game.”
He will join the Dockers after most recently serving as an assistant coach under Nathan Buckley at Collingwood.
Dale Alcock: Justin has the football smarts that we require and he's also a genuine character who can take our club forward to future success #foreverfreo
Fremantle coaching contender Dean Solomon has posted this classy tweet after missing out to Justin Longmuir in the race for the Dockers.
Longmuir will give his first presser as Freo coach at 2.30pm AEST.
Congratulations @justinlongmuir on becoming the senior coach of the @freodockers The club is in very safe hands as Justin is a cracking human being & will be a very successful senior coach. I wish you @justinlongmuir & @freodockers all the best with your future together.
Fremantle coaching contender Dean Solomon has posted this classy tweet after missing out to Justin Longmuir in the race for the Dockers.
Longmuir will give his first presser as Freo coach at 2.30pm AEST.
Congratulations @justinlongmuir on becoming the senior coach of the @freodockers The club is in very safe hands as Justin is a cracking human being & will be a very successful senior coach. I wish you @justinlongmuir & @freodockers all the best with your future together.
