Prediction - Gold Coast Suns will fold by end of 2022 season.

[RUNVS]

Sports clubs will never work on the Gold Coast. It’s where bogans go to retire.

and how are the on field problems of the Gold Coast Suns the fault of the city? Is the area of Carlton responsible for the Blues being crap?

 

[Billy ray]

I’ll cop people having a go at our players and calls to have the coach sacked. That’s all fair game and is what people said about the saints and Melbourne and the blues etc over the last decade or two.

but noone called for these clubs to fold when they were s**t on field. So we shouldn’t cope that.
We wont fold and we wont relocate.
this area is too important and strategic for the afl commission.

 

[Pleasedonot]

I’ll cop people having a go at our players and calls to have the coach sacked. That’s all fair game and is what people said about the saints and Melbourne and the blues etc over the last decade or two.

but noone called for these clubs to fold when they were sh*t on field. So we shouldn’t cope that.
We wont fold and we wont relocate.
this area is too important and strategic for the afl commission.

Yeah, 'cause they actually have supporter bases and generations of people who are invested in them as clubs. How many legitimate supporters do the GC have? 1/8th of FA. No one wanted this team to even come into being - they could foresee it would compromise the competition and had a strong possibility to descend into the farce we see today.

 

[Kappa]

Yeah, 'cause they actually have supporter bases and generations of people who are invested in them as clubs. How many legitimate supporters do the GC have? 1/8th of FA. No one wanted this team to even come into being - they could foresee it would compromise the competition and had a strong possibility to descend into the farce we see today.

did u expect GC to come in and instantly get 25k home crowds during bottom 4 years?

 

[Billy ray]

Yeah, 'cause they actually have supporter bases and generations of people who are invested in them as clubs. How many legitimate supporters do the GC have? 1/8th of FA. No one wanted this team to even come into being - they could foresee it would compromise the competition and had a strong possibility to descend into the farce we see today.

Thankfully the commission isnt full of people like you. All clubs started at one point in time and had no history.

 

[Billy ray]

We also have record membership level this year

 

[Billy ray]

And in the ten years on the coast, the number of schools now with footy posts on the school oval and not rugby posts is amazing

 

[Pleasedonot]

did u expect GC to come in and instantly get 25k home crowds during bottom 4 years?

No of course I didn't - I'm arguing they should never have been introduced to begin with.

 

[Billy ray]

No of course I didn't - I'm arguing they should never have been introduced to begin with.

Well 2010 is thatta way

 

[GhostofJimJess]

And in the ten years on the coast, the number of schools now with footy posts on the school oval and not rugby posts is amazing

Yep, the AFL wouldn’t want to miss the Gold Coast boat or they’ll bloody regret it in 20 years. Which is a very hard point to argue with the hordes who want immediate gratification.

 

[maskmcgee]

did u expect GC to come in and instantly get 25k home crowds during bottom 4 years?

GWS have been a top 4 side from 2016-2019 and their crowds didn't go up. Nobody cares about these clubs, that's the problem.

 

[Redline]

I wonder what impact Queensland hosting the Olympics will have in the Suns. I suspect there will be a big movement towards Olympic sports in schools over the next 12 years.

Facilities and funding will improve in a number of sports that will give some competition to AFL and AFLW.

 

[nineteen eighty]

Yeah, 'cause they actually have supporter bases and generations of people who are invested in them as clubs. How many legitimate supporters do the GC have? 1/8th of FA. No one wanted this team to even come into being - they could foresee it would compromise the competition and had a strong possibility to descend into the farce we see today.

You say noone wanted the Suns to come in. Well I would argue every other club did and lined up for the cash they brought with them. Extra games means increase broadcast rights blah blah blah. This has been done to death elsewhere.

Supporters of other clubs may not have wanted them. The clubs themselves were rubbing their hands in glee with stains on the front of their trousers from excitement.

 

[the big lebowski]

I don’t think the Gold Coast is going anywhere, but their onfield have to turn around within 5 years surely.

Qld footy seems to be doing very well and rightly or wrongly the Gold Coast will get a pat on the back for that.

Tv wise though, what would the broadcasters prefer, Gold Coast as is or a competitive tassie team?

 

[Cmarsh]

GWS have been a top 4 side from 2016-2019 and their crowds didn't go up. Nobody cares about these clubs, that's the problem.

Statistically there is no doubt our crowds went up in that period you mention compared to the first three to four seasons.

 

[Dazzler9]

And in the ten years on the coast, the number of schools now with footy posts on the school oval and not rugby posts is amazing

This is good to know, albeit anecdotal evidence.

It would be just as heartening, however, if I knew of one more GC poster than the ever excellent and entertaining Billy ray.

 

[Cudi_420]

It'll be a tough call for the AFL to make but the merge of two Melbourne sides and then moving or splitting 50/50 between Melbourne and Tassie is the most likely scenario. St Kilda and North the obvious candidates.

What I found astounding last year is that Melbourne of all clubs are reportedly amongst the most stable clubs financially.

For the future of the game I think the AFL has to make three calls:

1. Suspend the AFLW for a few seasons until things improve.

2. Sell Marvel Stadium to the highest bidder.

3. Merge two Melbourne clubs.

The above would have the smallest impact to broadcast rights vs shutting down GC.

Gold Coast ain't going anywhere. In fact I'd argue that folding them would be irresponsible in the current environment.

 

[the harry]

I wonder what impact Queensland hosting the Olympics will have in the Sund. I suspect there will be a big movement towards Olympic sports in schools over the next 12 years.

Facilities and funding will improve in a number of sports that will give some competition to AFL and AFLW.

And then when those people realise that there is * all money in Olympic sports to the point where it's hard to be a professional and earn your major income from it, they can go play footy.

Alternatively, when Australia drops its fascination with Olympics and realise that millions of dollars spent on trying to convince ourselves we, a country of 25 million, can compete with China or the US in anything is a total waste, then those who choose Olympics sports can play footy.

People ITT talking of the cash sunk into GC17 being a waste should have a look at the Olympics and the pointlessness and trail of waste it leaves.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Paying massive overs for average to good players also doesn't help. Weller I can understand but why did they sign Rory Atkins for 5 years? The seeds are planted for another big exodus in the coming years.

Yep both Adelaide clubs would be rubbing there hands together and a heap of Victorian clubs will be lining up to bring king home

 

[Billy ray]

This is good to know, albeit anecdotal evidence.

It would be just as heartening, however, if I knew of one more GC poster than the ever excellent and entertaining Billy ray.

Thank you for your kind words.
We do have quite a few passionate, one eyed and currently hurting posters on our team board. Many do not venture onto the main board anymore as they continually get frustrated and annoyed with the general sentiment that prevails about our team. But rest assured, they exist and we have good chats about team selection, coaching, tactics and more generally living here on the coast.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Nothing to do with the area though. Plonk that team anywhere else and they are not magically going to get better. It is all down to the club itself.

Eg. No one would say the people of Carlton don't like football because Carlton the club have been terrible for a few decades. The levels of enthusiasm by the supporter base has no impact on how the team does on the field.

Look at the history though with out being rude every sporting club or franchise of any code that have been based on the gold coast have been nothing but epic failures . Just maybe basing professional athletes in a party town isn’t great for performance

 

[TigerKnights]

Until the AFL and blokes like Cochrane recognise the fact a community wants to be apart of the club, have a say and not simply be told to be grateful that the all powerful have bestowed a franchise for them to plough money into for those entitled pricks to hoover up they will never succeed. The broader footy community will resent they were ever given the chance at the expense of tassie fans, Who. We know if given the opportunity to have their own club, will be rusted on in an instant. GCFC are going no where. Neither up the ladder or out of the comp. They are the perfect fit for VIC clubs. Cochrane will tell you how valuable they are to TV rights (cha ching) and they cannot beat a baby seal with a club. Money and 4 points for all. Perfect.

 

[tandino]

How much is the 9th game worth anyway?

 

[Madas]

Footy is a great game and if having the Suns presence in QLD means more kids take up our great sport then take the blinkers off and look at the benefits beyond profit .
Anyway , who’s to say it’s not a long term investment anyway? Might be bleeding a bit now but think of the returns in 30-50 years time if AFL takes off in QLD .
Sooner or later they are gonna work out that rugby is s**t !

 

[Whiskers]

Seems such a waste bringing in these expansion clubs.
Mainly because it dilutes talent as in spreads it out too far but I never anticipated how much they would kill talented kids.

Killing off sides is very harsh so the next best thing that should’ve happened was send North to GC 10 years ago if at all or at least to Tasmania.
Did we really need a side on the Gold Coast? I get kids up that way are playing more so that’s good but really how much worse would we be off without them?
The less sides the better and I hope like hell North Queensland and Northern Territory do not get teams. That will mean more boring lifeless clubs no one cares about and talent spread even further.

If they didn’t invent 2 more sides or at least moved 2 existing sides, the rest of us would be enjoying and appreciating at least 2 more talents per club.
These ‘would be’ stars have been absolutely wasted!