Time to shine
Wright to lead Suns on attack
ONE of the smallest bones in his body kept him out of Gold Coast’s pre-season opener but towering forward Peter Wright aims to fill the biggest shoes in the AFL on Sunday.
Wright will lead the Suns on attack for the first time since he joined the club in the absence of co-captain Tom Lynch (rested) and Sam Day (hip), when Gold Coast play Essendon in the JLT Community Series at Harrup Park, Mackay.
A dislocated finger ruled him out of the Suns’ win against Brisbane last weekend but Wright will play for the first time in his career without Lynch by his side in one of the biggest tests of his young career.
The 20-year-old doesn’t expect to replicate the man who he rates as the best forward in the game but said he would use some of Lynch’s key attributes to inspire his own performance against the Bombers.
“It’s my first chance at that and a new challenge for myself so I’m really looking forward to it,” Wright said.
“It will be something different and something new but I’m just going to embrace it and put my best foot forward.
“It will just be providing a target and getting to as many contests as I can and working in tandem with the other forwards. It will be a holistic approach from the forward line to cover Tommy – he is a big loss.
“He is the best forward in the game, in my opinion.
“It is about doing the fundamentals right – that’s what Tommy does really well.”
It was the top knuckle in his left hand that Wright injured during training nearly three weeks ago.
The 203cm forward had stitches and was forced out of the game against the Lions.
It gave Sam Day first crack at the second key forward position up for grabs but Wright now seems all but guaranteed of the spot with Day ruled out for the season after dislocating his hip in the first game. But Wright said it did nothing to ease the pressure as he looks to earn his place in the best 22 and dedicate a big season to Day.
“There is certainly not any less pressure,” Wright said. “You never want to get your spot through injury.
“I’m not going to take my spot in the team for granted ... I have still got to be earning my spot each week and that starts this weekend …
“We all owe it to Sam to make sure we play as good footy as we can.”