LEADERSHIP INSPIRES LUKOSIUS TO STAY PUT
WHEN Touk Miller took the podium in September last year and declared Gold Coast a “special club” that he had no intention of leaving, the outside perception of the Suns began to shift.
It was a stake-in-the-ground statement that told the football world in no uncertain terms the Suns were trending upward – even if for some it was hard to see.
But internally, leadership had already established that growth.
The proof first came in March this year when the Suns defied heavy Victorian interest to re-sign key forward Ben King to the end of 2024.
On Thursday, the club locked in another member of its 2018 draft class, announcing Jack Lukosius had signed a four-year deal.
Amid speculation the former No.2 overall pick would be eager to return home to South Australia, Lukosius signing on to the end of 2026 is another key marker that confidence on the Gold Coast is building.
Asked if Miller’s public proclamation last year had moved the needle for teammates to buy-in on the Suns project, Lukosius revealed that work had already been done.
“When those guys (former Suns captains Stephen May and Tom Lynch) left a few years ago, we had Jarrod Witts and David Swallow take on the captaincy and now Touk and Sam Collins have continued to drive the path to where we want to go,” the 21-year-old said.
“We’re all invested in the way Dewy (coach Stuart Dew) has us playing and the way he’s coaching. He’s had a great year and hopefully he’ll be our coach for years to come.”
The ‘go home’ curse that plagued Queensland clubs’ top draft picks for years is slowly fading and Lukosius said his family in South Australia had urged him to stay on the Gold Coast.
“I always talk to Mum and Dad about how I’m going. They are big supporters of the Suns and they’re happy with how I’m being treated up here,” he said.
Lukosius has played 66 games for the Suns in four seasons but has been out since round eight with a PCL injury.
He won’t travel with the team to South Australia for Sunday’s crucial clash with Port Adelaide, but is hopeful of a return to action the following week at home to Collingwood.
“This is the first time I’ve been injured pretty much ever so it’s been a bit different watching footy at Metricon (instead of playing), but because the lads have been going super well I don’t feel as guilty being out,” Lukosius said.
“There’s no doubt it makes me hungry that when I come back I have to perform and add to the team.
“I’ll have to get through a week of training and see how the team is going … if the lads keep going well it will be a hard team to break into.”
The next month looms as a pivotal one for the Suns, who face fellow finals hopefuls Port Adelaide, Collingwood and Richmond in consecutive weeks.
Gold Coast has won five of its past six games but a spate of recent injuries has threatened to derail its would-be finals push.
If the Suns are to make a maiden run to September, a fit and firing Lukosius would be a major asset.