SUNS DARE NOT UTTER G WORD
GOLD Coast are doing their best to move on from Gary Ablett, refusing to acknowledge their greatest player could line up against them in their first game of 2018.
The Suns will play Ablett’s new club Geelong in their opening JLT Community Series game next year at Riverway Stadium in Townsville on March 4 as one of two preseason games.
The other will be played against the Brisbane Lions on Sunday, March 11, at the Southport Sharks’ home ground at Fankhauser Reserve.
Gold Coast’s match against the Cats will be the first time both clubs have played since Ablett’s trade back to his original club Geelong this month.
Ablett was the inaugural captain of the Suns and played 110 games for the club over seven seasons, winning four club champion titles and a Brownlow Medal in 2013.
For all of his success, new coach Stuart Dew wouldn’t utter Ablett’s name when talking about a game and player that could help draw large crowds in north Queensland where the game is still growing.
Instead Dew said he was focused on what the Gold Coast club needed to do to improve in the upcoming preseason.
“Geelong is a club that the entire competition respects (and) no matter who plays for them in Townsville they will be a formidable opponent,” Dew said.
“It feels like a long way off at this stage but you always enjoy it when you step up and take on opposition for the first time as part of your preseason campaign.
“At this stage I’m just counting down the days to the start of the pre-season.
“This week I’ve had a real opportunity to sit down with the other coaches and footy staff to drill down on where we are at and what’s ahead of us.
“There’s still plenty of work to be done between now and then.”