TROUBLE ON THE GOLD COAST
Blame for Gold Coast club’s woes placed on hierarchy
EX-ST Kilda coach Grant Thomas says emergency assistance for the Gold Coast Suns should be followed by the resignations of all senior AFL officials involved in the establishment of the club.
The $200 million “Bad News Suns” are set to apply for a priority draft pick and extra financial support after an eighth-consecutive failed season since joining the league in 2011.
Thomas said rival clubs should demand fresh concessions are made on the proviso AFL officials behind its foundation fall on their sword.
“Decent people, when they’ve completely wasted and thrown down the drain bucket loads of other people’s money, hold themselves accountable for that – but I wouldn’t be holding my breathe,” Thomas said.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and league broadcasting boss Travis Auld played major roles in the creation of the competition’s 17th club.
Auld was the club’s inaugural chief executive, while McLachlan and ex-AFL strategist Andrew Catterall were driving forces of expansion back in Melbourne.
An industry heavyweight said last night: “If it was a public company like BHP, a lot of people would be in trouble. They just wouldn’t last.”
Former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and retired league commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick were the other key drivers behind the creation of the Suns and Greater Western Sydney. Gold Coast entered their first season under a rookie coach (McKenna), a firsttime chief executive (Auld), an untried captain (Gary Ablett) and beginner football boss (Marcus Ashcroft).
“Before any assistance is agreed, one must look at what has happened – and why it has happened – and where those responsibilities lie to avoid something like this happening again,” Thomas said. “Unfortunately within the AFL there’s an all care no responsibility culture that has evolved.”
Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett told News Corp last month the Suns’ malaise was “an issue, in one sense, of the AFL’s own making”.