Gold Coast Suns star Touk Miller has faith in coach Stuart Dew’s game plan despite slow start

The Gold Coast Suns are in danger of letting another AFL season fall by the wayside unless they quickly rediscover winning form.

The Suns need to lift against the Swans. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Gold Coast co-captain Touk Miller says his side’s embarrassing first-quarter display against Collingwood was “unacceptable” as pressure mounts on the Suns and their coach Stuart Dew.

Despite an impressive pre-season, the Suns are failing to fire when it matters, having won just two from seven to be languishing in 14th spot on the AFL ladder.

Having been thrashed by 52 points by the Brisbane Lions in the recent QClash, the Suns had hoped for a good start in their weekend MCG clash against Collingwood.

However, it was a first quarter to forget for the Gold Coast, with the Magpies kicking seven successive goals in the opening term on their way to a 25-point win.

“To give up seven goals in a row is unacceptable at AFL level,” Miller said.

“We understand that’s just not good enough.

“Our group’s completely mature enough to be able to rectify that.”

It’s a problem that needs to be fixed quickly, with the Suns’ next two opponents being early premiership contenders Sydney and Fremantle.

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew needs the Suns to have a good season. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“We had a 20-minute patch where we coughed up seven goals, but in saying that … we managed to get ourselves back in the game, which is a really big positive,” a confident Miller said.

“I still really believe that our game plan and style is still really effective.

“We made them (the Magpies) look silly a few times in terms of how we moved the ball, and how we wanted to get good scoring shots, and it’s just a matter of doing that for four quarters.”

Miller has similar faith in Dew, who is off contract at the end of the year and probably in need of a good season to be offered a sixth campaign in charge of the underachieving club.

“We just have full belief in what he (Dew) is delivering for us,” he said.

“I don’t think that pressure with Stuey is a factor for us.

“For us it has nothing to do with what Stuey has got lined up at the end of the year and what that looks like.

“I can imagine it’s really frustrating for supporters to watch and to keep listening to, but I believe that our process is going to work and that we’re really close.

“We have a lot of self-belief that our game plan is going to work and it works against every team.

“There’s not one game we’ve walked into this season where we’ve said ‘we can’t win this game’.

“I think we’re very capable of knocking off Sydney (on Saturday at the SCG).”