WE’RE SICK OF IT
Suns adopt a win-at-all-costs attitude to every aspect of footy after tiring of failure
EVERYTHING counts for the Gold Coast Suns in 2017.
Every contest, every training session and every game is a chance for a Suns victory as the club tries to create a winning culture.
Suns midfielder Aaron Hall revealed a new mantra, driven by co-captain Steven May, centred around winning everything. Even JLT Community Series games – pre-season trials – carry meaning. Hall said May wanted the Suns to detest losing and spoke about it during the club’s win over Brisbane last Sunday.
“We talked about it as a playing group – about creating a winning culture,” Hall told the Bulletin.
“These games (trials) might not matter but they count to us in making sure that we never want to lose.
“That’s been somewhat of the pre-season mantra that in any contest even with a teammate in training you hate to lose.”
Hall said the mentality was born from the lack of wins the club has celebrated in a tough first six years in the AFL.
“We have spoken about the first six years and maybe a couple of mistakes we have made as a collective group,” he said.
“Our pre-season has been second to none, we have had a really good pre-season.
“The playing group has really driven it and I think moving into 2017 we will hold ourselves in good stead.”
Hall began the year strongly on Sunday by leading the Suns in disposals (33), contested possessions (13), clearances (9), tackles (9) and inside 50s (11). The 26-year-old said it was his ability to win the clearances that he was most happy with after making that his focus during the pre-season.
“That’s something I wanted to come into 2017 and work on,” Hall said.
“I noticed from statistics last year from me to the other elite midfielders in the AFL that getting a few more clearances would definitely help my game.”
Hall garnered the attention of the AFL last year when he became the Suns’ most prominent ball user before being dropped and working his way back to form later in year.
It was enough to attract interest from Melbourne club Essendon who reached out to Hall’s family to see if he was eager to move. But Hall shut it down after one brief chat.
“It’s just the silly season and people talk,” Hall said.
“There was nothing in it, especially from my end. I’m definitely happy up here.”
Hall said he didn’t fear losing his place in the Suns midfield following the arrival of Michael Barlow, Jarryd Lyons and Pearce Hanley and the return of Gary Ablett and David Swallow from injury.
“I know what I can bring to the side and the coaches have definitely backed me and they’re confident and I’m confident in what I can do,” Hall said. “Midfield is definitely my best position.”