Finals arrive early
Suns admit every game now crucial after Demons collapse
SUNS midfielder Touk Miller says Gold Coast will put their finals hopes on the line nearly every week following a calamitous loss to Melbourne.
Seven seasons into their existence and Gold Coast are as mentally fragile as their debut year.
Gold Coast held a 24-point lead at halftime and lost by 35 to the Demons who became the latest to see the Suns fall apart when the heat was on.
It put the finals hopes of the Suns (3-6) on life support in coach Rodney Eade’s final season of his three-year deal.
“It was probably pretty critical to our season that game,” Miller said. “You want to go out to get as many wins as possible so you’re not sitting in a position like we are.
“Every game now is going to carry that little bit more (scrutiny) if we want to keep our finals hopes alive.”
Gold Coast have had injuries, but not on any scale like the previous two seasons and no worse than many clubs performing well above them.
Pressure is mounting on Eade but Miller insisted it was the “club as a whole” who shouldered the blame.
“I know we are working as one and players are a major contributor to what we put out on the field,” Miller said.
“Coaches do their role, the admin staff do their best to get us up to play the best football possible so we just have to deliver on our end.”
The Gold Coast leadership group held a crisis meeting following the disastrous loss to Port Adelaide in China and Miller conceded the playing group feels the extra pressure.
Miller said Gold Coast’s inability to soak up any real pressure was their biggest issue – but something they still didn’t know how to fix.
“We are mainly just disappointed that we rolled over too easy,” Miller said.
“We put together some good football for maybe two and a half quarters and then we just dropped the bundle.
“We had them on the ropes and a few crucial moments in the game deflated us and it’s something we are trying to work on. We still haven’t found a way to do that yet. That is our next biggest challenge, being able to arrest momentum when a team gets it and also being able to put teams away when on top.”
The lack of quality players to bring in last week meant Eade couldn’t swing the axe at the selection table but the experienced coach said there could be as many as seven changes ahead of this week’s game against West Coast.
Miller admitted the side was “carrying passengers” and was prepared for changes.
“After two poor performances you would expect there to be changes,” Miller said.
“There are a lot of boys who are not putting their best foot forward and putting their hands up to play good football which is hurting the team.”
Star midfielder Gary Ablett (shoulder), Jack Bowes (illness), Callum Ah Chee (back), Matt Rosa (concussion) and Jesse Lonergan (shoulder) could be chances to return next weekend.
I KNOW WE ARE WORKING AS ONE AND PLAYERS ARE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO WHAT WE PUT OUT ON THE FIELD TOUK MILLER ON THE SUNS