Failing Gold Coast expansion club to seek emergency AFL concessions

GOLD Coast has lost 19 straight quarters and the Suns’ chairman says the expansion club needs help. But what do some powerhouse Victorian rivals have to say about that?

Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans, first-year coach Stuart Dew and chairman Tony Cochrane have a big job ahead. Picture: Jerad Williams

POWERHOUSE Victorian clubs say they will consider supporting emergency concessions for the failing Gold Coast Suns.

Chairman Tony Cochrane today declared the expansion club would be seeking special AFL assistance, which could include priority draft picks.

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett gave guarded support to fresh Gold Coast concessions.

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But the Suns backed away from Cochrane’s call for help, telling the Herald Sun the club was yet to consider its position.

“The issue of concessions or assistance has not been raised internally,” a Gold Coast spokesman said.

“Our clear focus has been on addressing our form over the last two weeks”.

Suns chairman Tony Cochrane says his club needs help. Picture: Jerad Williams

The AFL’s $200 million problem child has again been thrust into the limelight after a string of dispiriting performances.

The 16th-placed Suns have lost 19 straight quarters and could break the all-time mark of 22 against lowly St Kilda at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

League chiefs might have to rule on twin priority pick submissions with Brisbane also certain to plead its case.

“I think it is a larger issue than the Gold Coast Suns — we are the focus this week but the draft has to be adjusted for more allowances,’’ Cochrane told the Herald Sun.

“At the moment the vast majority of AFL footballers come from three states in Australia.

“We have to find a way to better balance on how we retain footballers in the development states of Queensland and NSW.

Tom Lynch and the Suns have endured a horror few weeks. Pic: Getty Images

“There are a lot of ways to look at it and consider it, but as an AFL industry we have to consider it.”

Gold Coast was gifted eight of the first 13 picks in the 2010 national draft, priority access to uncontracted players and elite junior players, including Geelong’s Gary Ablett, and extra millions in the salary cap as part of its generous start-up provisions.

Asked about special assistance to help bail out the Suns, Kennett said: “I wouldn’t rule anything out, but I would want to have a look at what the proposition is.

“So if Tony’s got a business plan that is not generalisations, then I would be prepared as a president to have a look at it.

“I don’t want any club to fail, quite the opposite.

“I don’t think the AFL wants any club to fail (but) the results recently indicate there are two or three clubs in serious trouble to be competitive.”

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said it was way too early to be discussing concessions.

“I think everyone should wait until the end of the season,” McGuire said.

Eddie McGuire has his thoughts on any Gold Coast concessions. Picture: Mark Stewart

“It’s a terrible look for the AFL or any club to be thinking or talking about this in June. It shouldn’t even be considered until the end of the year and they sort their strategy out around trades and free agency.”

Asked what type of concessions the Suns would be seeking — Cochrane said the club wasn’t sure.

“I haven’t really gone into it, nor has the club, about the specifics of what we might or might not need,” he said.

“We won’t be competitive if all we are is a training centre for Victorian clubs. We have had this issue every year except the first four years.

“We want our young fans to grow up being AFL fans for life. We have to give them some hope so they are rusted on for life. Destroying them as AFL fans for life, no one can convince me that is a great marketing plan.

“We are not even focused (on what picks we need). My 100 per cent focus and the focus of the club is convincing Tom (Lynch) that it is the right pathway to stay with us.

“It is my complete and absolute focus. To focus on what we will do if Tom leaves would be a stupid focus. I would fire myself if that was my focus.”

Cochrane said the AFL had to ensure expansion sides were strong given they made up so much of the Australian population.

“As an AFL industry we have to consider it. Whether people down south like it, 54 per cent of the population lives north of the Murray.

“Looking at the media rights for future years, you have to engage with those states.

“So many people in the media focus on those results. On Monday mornings believe me they are not looking at what the eyeballs are in northwest Tassie, they are looking at the eyeballs in southeast Queensland.”

Kennett said the league was warned by a number presidents a decade ago that expansion was “fraught with danger”.

“The AFL and therefore the stronger clubs have been helping both Greater Western Sydney and the Gold Coast Suns and some of the weaker clubs financially for some time now.”

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