Gold Coast must go back to the draft and load up on top talent, writes Andrew Hamilton
GOLD Coast and Hawthorn are set to be involved in the biggest deal this off-season and it can be a win-win for both clubs.
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GOLD Coast and Hawthorn are set to be involved in the biggest deal this off-season and it can be a win-win for both clubs.
According to some, the Hawks era is over and the Suns are facing the death spiral with the departures of Jaeger O’Meara and Dion Prestia.
I don’t agree with either view.
To get an idea of what they can achieve this off-season, it is worth looking at their two greatest rivals.
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The Hawks can emulate Geelong’s rebirth by bringing in O’Meara, Swan Tom Mitchell and Richmond’s Ty Vickery. That trio can have the same effect the arrival of Patrick Dangerfield, Zac Smith and Lachie Henderson has for the Cats.
Gold Coast should copy GWS. The Giants lose players every year — their retention record ranks alongside Brisbane’s as the worst in the competition — but they just keep going back to the draft and loading up on top end talent.
Look at the Giants now. Their depth is the envy of every club in the competition and they appear capable of a Hawthorn-type era of dominance.
The Gold Coast are in a stronger position than any club heading into what is supposed to be a very good, and even, draft.
They have six picks inside the top 27 — and that’s before they do any deals with the Hawks and Richmond.
Touk Miler has already overtaken Prestia in his value to the Suns.
O’Meara is a star but has not played in two years. At this stage they are losing potential, not performance.
The draft is full of potential.
Suns chairman Tony Cochrane’s threats to march O‘Meara in the draft were nonsensical. They should cut the best deal possible and get on with it.
They are not going to find a like for like swap for O’Meara but they should adopt Hawthorn’s mindset.
The Hawks cherry pick players to fill a particular need.
They want O’Meara and Mitchell because they have been beaten in contested possessions and clearances this year. They hope Vickery can fill the ruck-forward hole left by David Hale.
The AFL will push the Suns to go for players, but the facts are it is very hard to get A graders to move interstate.
The Suns need to trade in a few solid, and most importantly durable, contributors who play every week — a ruckman and a couple of midfielders.
But they need to use the draft to secure their next stars.
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With the picks they have, they can flood their list with talent to complement what is among the best goal-to-goal line in the competition and a scattering of very good emerging players such as Jack Martin, Miller, Kade Kolodjashnij, Jarrod Garlett and Callum Ah Chee.
And people seem to forget Gary Ablett, David Swallow and Trent McKenzie should also return next year.
Originally published as Gold Coast must go back to the draft and load up on top talent, writes Andrew Hamilton
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