Supercoach Damien Hardwick says ‘good sides’ Collingwood and Brisbane will recover from losing starts

Three-time AFL premiership-winning coach Damien Hardwick says there’s still plenty of hope for struggling Collingwood and Brisbane.

Dejected Collingwood players walk off the MCG after their third successive loss. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Triple AFL premiership-winning coach Damien Hardwick says it’s too early to write off the flag hopes of Collingwood and Brisbane who are both without a win this season heading into next week’s grand final rematch at the Gabba.

The Magpies, who beat the Lions by four points in last year’s decider, slumped to a third successive loss on Thursday night, beaten 94-79 by St. Kilda at the MCG.

Brisbane has a bye this weekend but will also enter next Thursday’s Gabba showdown with nothing to show for 2024, having suffered back-to-back defeats in a disappointing start to its campaign.

No team this century has won the premiership after starting the season with successive losses.

However, Gold Coast Suns coach Hardwick – who guided Richmond to flags in 2017, 2019 and 2020 – tipped both of last season’s grand finalists to recover and contend.

“It’s early stages,” Hardwick said on Friday.

“It’s really hard to get a gauge on how everyone’s going. Probably after 10 to 12 rounds you get a better understanding about where sides are placed.

“Although Collingwood are now zero and three, they’re a really, really good side, and they’ll bounce back, I’ve got no doubt.

“Brisbane are exactly the same. Sometimes things don’t get your way, but sides that are good generally find a way to win, and they’ll come back.”

Damien Hardwick (centre) has guided the Suns to back-to-back wins. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

In contrast to Collingwood and Brisbane, the Suns have started their season – Hardwick’s first in charge of the Gold Coast – with back-to-back wins.

“It’s always good to tick off wins more than losses, but what I’ve been really pleased with is we’ve won six out of eight quarters,” he said ahead of his side’s clash with the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat on Sunday.

“We’ve had two that have been a little bit disappointing but the six other quarters have been quite dominant with the way we’ve played, so the process of winning is really important to us. The scoreboard aside, we’ve just got to play the game a certain way.

“If we continue to gain experience through that and continue to develop memories of what that looks like but more importantly what it feels like, it’s going to hold us in good stead.”

The Suns have the added incentive to win on Sunday for winger Brandon Ellis, who is set to make his 250th AFL appearance.

Ellis, 30, won two premierships under Hardwick at the Tigers before moving to the Suns ahead of the 2020 season.

“He’s been an incredible servant for me for a long period of time and obviously for the Gold Coast Suns as well, so hopefully we can back it up with a win versus the Bulldogs this week because he’s a really important player to the fabric of our club,” Hardwick said.

“He’s one of my favourites. I’ve known him for a long period of time … and we’re both joined at the hip again.”