SUNS SHINING ON, OFF FIELD

SPORT at its glorious best can uplift a city and a nation.

The Gold Coast Suns and certainly the Gold Coast Titans with rousing wins over the weekend are doing their bit to try and inject some good vibes into their long-suffering fans.

In times of crisis, leaders really shine through and one standout on the sporting landscape has been the man who relentlessly pursued the restoration of rugby league matches, Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys.

His victory in setting a date for return and working towards it was as much about attitude as anything else.

And yesterday, the soaring Gold Coast Suns’ management showed they too have the right attitude in approaching the uncertain times facing their schedules and competition.

Operations manager Jon Haines made it clear that despite strict new quarantine restrictions by the Queensland Government on any team playing in Melbourne, it would be up for whatever matches the AFL scheduled for it.

If the AFL deems the Suns should play in Melbourne this coming weekend as scheduled and the next – and then carry on for an extended tour into Sydney to serve out a quarantine fortnight before being able to come back to the Gold Coast, then so be it, was the message from Mr Haines.

Unlike the cream of the tennis world, Novak Djokovic and many other top 100 players who had a shocker at his Adria Cup with no social distancing which has spread the virus like wildfire, the Australian contact sporting franchises are playing by the rules – and inspiring us all in doing so.