Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood: Suns captain Touk Miller declares Pies clash ideal to prove they the real deal in 2024

Last year, Gold Coast’s momentum was stopped dead by a rampaging Collingwood on the way to a premiership. This year, the Suns are intent on reversing the ledger and proving they’re the real deal.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 01: Darcy Cameron of the Magpies celebrates a goal during the round 16 AFL match between Gold Coast Suns and Collingwood Magpies at Heritage Bank Stadium, on July 01, 2023, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Gold Coast co-captain Touk Miller has declared Saturday’s sellout clash with Collingwood a “flag in the ground moment” for the Suns to prove they are the real deal in season 2024.

The Suns’ perfect home record will be put under the ultimate stress test by a Magpies outfit bolstered by the return of Scott Pendlebury, Jordan De Goey and Brody Mihocek.

Collingwood has turned People First Stadium into a home away from home in recent years, winning its past five trips to the Gold Coast by an average margin of 41 points.

Almost exactly 12 months ago the Magpies stormed the Suns’ fortress with a devastating display of football that ended in a 78-point thrashing and Miller feeling helpless on the sideline.

Gold Coast captain Touk Miller has declared the Suns’ clash against Collingwood a ‘flag in the ground moment’. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Collingwood was flying. That was one of the best games of footy I’ve seen from an opposition and I felt like we weren’t prepared for that,” recalled Miller, who was sidelined with a knee injury at the time.

“They obviously went on to win the flag so they were the best team in the comp and we got them at a really good time.

“That stung last year. But I feel like we’re more equipped this year for the test.”

Last year the Magpies burst out of the blocks booting 11 goals to 1 in the first half in a game that signalled the gulf between the Suns and the best in the league.

But the Suns will start Saturday’s clash with seven players – Miller among them – who did not feature in the previous meeting, while the Magpies will have five.

“It’s a new system for us, new personnel … this looks significantly different to us, in how we approach the game and how we play,” Miller said.

Consecutive road defeats have scuppered the Suns’ September charge but a win on Saturday against the reigning premiers would shift momentum back in their favour ahead of a must-win game against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium next weekend.

With a mid-table logjam forming, the Suns cannot afford to let too many more games slip if they have a genuine desire to feature in September.

“You could call it a flag in the ground moment for us,” Miller declared.

“We want to make (People First Stadium) a fortress and we’ve had the ability to do that so far.

“Our last (home) game against Essendon was a good one to show we can knock off a high quality team in-form.

The last time they played at home, the Suns knocked off top four team Essendon. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“This is a big game for us … it’s a momentum game for us.

“To win against a quality opposition at home would really propel us into the back half of the year.”

The Suns ostensibly are going into Saturday’s clash off a five-day break, having returned from Perth in the early hours of Monday morning.

Meanwhile the Magpies are fresh off a bye, have loaded up on stars and will walk into a stadium packed to the rafters with black and white.

If ever there is a time for the Suns to prove the doubters wrong, it is now.

The vaunted midfield group was well-beaten by their Fremantle counterparts last weekend and Miller vowed to turn that around.

“As a midfield group you essentially carry the team – most midfields do, it’s normally won or lost in the guts,” he said.

“We haven’t performed to our very best the last couple of weeks and that’s on us. We have the depth, talent and will to get back there. That’s just on us.

“I have no doubt in my mind we can compete and be the best midfield in the comp but we have to start proving that week in, week out.”

Originally published as Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood: Suns captain Touk Miller declares Pies clash ideal to prove they the real deal in 2024