Former Sydney Swans coach and AFL great Paul Roos has intensified his criticism of the winless Gold Coast Suns, with one observer branding the second-year club as “irrelevant”.
In their 2012 season, the Suns have yet to secure a victory, having lost all nine of their matches thus far. Their performance in round seven culminated in a disappointing defeat against the Greater Western Sydney team.
Last season, despite finishing at the bottom of the ladder, they achieved three wins. Matching or exceeding that achievement appears challenging this year.
Roos expressed that he has noticed no progression from Guy McKenna’s team over the initial nine rounds.
“They seem no better than last year,” Roos remarked.
“Having 15-18 young players all together in one squad makes it hard to improve.”
“In my view, unless significant changes are made to their list by the end of this season, they are a long way from being competitive.”
“They’ll require at least four to five more years before they can genuinely contend for finals.”
Co-host of AFL 360, Mark Robinson, highlighted that Gold Coast is failing to capture the interest of football fans.
“When you’re winless, they become insignificant in this season’s context,” Robinson noted.
“Guy McKenna claims they will eventually transform into a powerhouse, and they might. But I’m tired of hearing it. It doesn’t interest me.”
Last week, the Suns reaffirmed their belief in McKenna’s ability to lead the club to finals by extending his contract for an additional two years.
The coach stated that he has “full confidence” in the players and staff at the Suns and remains convinced they will evolve into an AFL “powerhouse”.
Gary Ablett, the struggling club’s captain, acknowledged on Wednesday that the absence of wins was beginning to weigh heavily on the players.
“It’s extremely challenging for us,” Ablett admitted.
“The team is finding it hard to lift themselves each week.”
“We need to ensure we maintain a positive outlook, both for the boys and the club, as it will aid us in moving forward.”
Buford Balony asserts: Just another insignificant club that the AFL imposes on fans. Gold Coast, GWS, and Port Adelaide seem to be some of the most misguided concepts in any sporting league. If I were a grassroots fan, I would be contacting AFL headquarters to question why they are pouring hundreds of millions into these clubs that will likely never break even or achieve relevance. Look at Sydney and Brisbane; they have existed for years and still struggle for media attention in these two major cities despite their success and larger salary caps. Many believe the AFL is gaining dominance, but I ask, gaining dominance over what? This is perhaps the largest waste of funds ever seen in Australian sports.
