SUN TON THE PERFECT SCRIPT FOR COAST’S BIG GAME
Suns continue to set lofty goals as 100-game milestone approaches
ANDREW Travis could not ask for a better script.
The Gold Coast Suns chief executive will watch his senior side run out at Etihad Stadium tomorrow for their 100th game against the team they played in their AFL debut back in 2011.
While neither side has set the AFL alight this year, there is a strong chance the Suns could celebrate the achievement with a win.
Ahead of the big game, Travis has had some time to reflect on the club’s journey and says he likes the direction in which it is heading. He joined the club from the outset as chief operating officer before taking on the top job last year.
“It is an exciting milestone for the club,” Travis said.
“We have had a lot of firsts in our five-year history and I think 100 games is one of those other milestones that we actually get a chance to stop and reflect and get excited about what the future holds.”
In their first season, a Suns club led by star signing Gary Ablett and a team of talented kids won three games.
Despite that meagre start to life in the AFL, the club has never shied away from setting ambitious goals.
Case in point, John Witheriff’s 2012 statement regarding winning a flag and reaching 20,000 members within their first three years. The club now has just over 13,000 supporters.
But Travis said despite a raft of challenges, including the absence of permanent training and administration facilities, the decision to part ways with inaugural coach Guy McKenna and more recently a massive injury toll, the club was satisfied with its status.
“Progress is never linear in any business,” Travis said.
“It was an aspiration back in 2012 and there is nothing wrong with setting lofty goals.
“We have had a lot of success and also faced a lot of challenges but I think when you sit back now in our fifth season we probably would have liked to be in a permanent training and administration facility by now.
“To wait for the fifth year, and the sixth by the time we move in, has probably taken a bit longer than we would have liked. I think it is the last piece of the puzzle.”
It is a similar case with the progress of the club’s young crop of players.
“The players are always going to develop at different speeds either physically, with skill development or mental preparation for AFL football,” Travis said.
He admitted the club had identified the need to add experienced players, such as Sydney premiership winner Nick Malceski who they signed for this year.
“The balance between the young players and more senior guys has proven to be a critical part to a new club,” he said.
The fragile process of recruitment has only grown tougher for the Suns who were initially given an extra $1 mil- lion to spend on their salary cap. The concessions decreased annually before disappearing completely in 2015.
The rise of the club’s next generation and the re-signing of Ablett for another three years earlier this season has Travis optimistic about where the club will be in the next five years and beyond.
“We will be operating out of an elite facility, I’d hope this city has completely embraced our club and the code of AFL, get Metricon Stadium full every home game and winning games of football regularly including finals games,” he said.
Suns football manager Marcus Ashcroft said the club was determined to celebrate the milestone with a win to begin a more successful back-end of the season.
“We are keen to put up a performance that recognises such a big milestone,” he said.