A good start
The dawn of the Dimma era has shown great promise but the Suns must rise higher
As season openers go, this was an impressive one for the Gold Coast Suns. The club had much to prove going into Saturday’s clash with the Richmond Tigers, the former team of the Coast’s new head coach, Damian Hardwick.
Beyond the bragging rights of Dimma getting one over on his old team, it was about showing whether the perpetual underachievers of the AFL had learned or grown over the offseason following a disappointing 2023 campaign which saw Stuart Dew relieved of his post as coach after another series of poor results.
Hardwick has spent much of his time since putting on the red and gold saying he has at least 80 per cent of a premiership-winning side already in the ranks at the Suns.
Fans had reason to feel worried during pre-season where the Suns weren’t looking anywhere near their best.
It looked like it was going to be an unfortunate case of deja vu.
Then Saturday’s opening round clash with Richmond in front of a rare sellout crowd was something altogether unexpected.
Richmond drew first blood but after that it was all the Suns, with 10 straight unanswered goals.
Long-suffering Gold Coast fans in the stands could barely believe their eyes.
By halftime, they had created the largest leading margin the team had ever managed in the 13 years the Suns have been in the top competition.
The third quarter brought both the Suns and fans back to Earth as Richmond racked up its own points spree before a GC comeback in the final quarter saw them bring it home 99-60.
This was surely a Suns performance to remember but one good game does not a premiership make.
While the team has set its sights on a finals run and eventually playing September footy at the MCG, we’ll need to see something the Suns have never yet managed – consistency.
The disastrous third quarter seemed very familiar to fans and a reminder there are still kinks to be worked out.
Flashes of brilliance are great and thrill the fans but consistent form brings homes a flag.
It’s a good start but there must be plenty more to come.
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