The Gold Coast Suns woes may stem from having too much talent, Fox Footy’s experts have warned, as coach Damien Hardwick has been urged to make a tough call on star recruit Christian Petracca.
As the Suns sunk to a third defeat in four games, the players’ willingness to defend is in the spotlight after coughing up a near-record worst 88 points off turnover in Saturday’s loss to Hawthorn.
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Their past month alone has seen the club better only wooden spooners West Coast in points against from turnover in worrying signs for Hardwick.
Speaking on Sunday, Leigh Montagna fears the Suns may now be too stacked for talent – and as a result don’t have the “soldiers” needed to put the side back in premiership contention.
“This is a team that were primed, they were ready. Damien Hardwick had the list, everything that he wanted to be able to contend for the flag,” Montagna said on First Crack.
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“They are stacked with talent this team – but that may be the problem for Damien Hardwick.
“He may have a team that’s got too many stars. Too many stars and not enough soldiers.
“You think about Damien Hardwick teams, his system and the way that he sets it up for their stars – he needs those complimentary role players.”
Montagna named Tigers premiership winners Jason Castagna, Shaun Grigg, Shane Edwards, Kane Lambert and Jacob Townsend as examples of the type of players Hardwick had during his success at Richmond.
“They had a heap of guys that complimented the stars. And I just wonder whether the Gold Coast Suns actually have those role players and who they are because it’s staggering when you look at the team that played on the weekend,” Montagna said.
“They had 11 top 10 draft picks play, only five players in that team were not drafted in the top 30 in the national draft.
“I just wonder if they’re all thinking about their own footy? They want the ball – they are used to always having ball in hand, but are they doing enough?”
As vision of Touk Miller, Petracca, Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson played from the loss to Hawthorn, Montagna pulled out repeat moments where the Hawks were able to clear the congestion with ease.
“It happened all game against the Hawks,” he lamented.
“It’s natural for the superstars and best players to get attracted to the footy. They are all ball watching. When Hawthorn won the ball back, they couldn’t go with them.
“They weren’t thinking about defence when the ball was in motion or live – they were thinking about how do I get the ball? It’s natural instinct when you are one of the better players of the competition.
“They weren’t able to lay a glove on them!
“I just wonder which players now for the Gold Coast … which one of the leaders is going to be more selfless? Become the Trent Cotchin of those premiership eras. Which of the young players, who are all top end draft picks, Zeke Uwland and Jake Rogers, Leo Lombard, which one of them can go: ‘I’m going to earn my respect in this team by playing whatever the team need me to for’.
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“That’s what’s holding them back from being a premiership contender.”
Dual premiership Roo David King believes the Suns woes are “attitudinal” with their lack of pressure – and he’s called for a big shift in role for superstar Petracca.
“I’m looking at the pressure around the footy – they average 173 a week which is bottom six in the competition,” he said on First Crack.
“Who in the midfield is prepared to go and put some pressure on? Where’s the real heat?
“I’d get Petracca out of the midfield for three weeks – I’d put him in the forward half of the ground where we know he can be a star.”
First Crack co-host Jay Clark questioned why the Suns would shift a player described as “the recruit of the year”, but King pointed to Gold Coast’s rise in 2025.
“The (midfield) mix was really strong last year … it’s been upset for some reason. And the only change that’s happened in there has been Petracca,” he said.
“Are you saying he’s upset the apple cart?” Clark questioned.
“What’s good for the player isn’t always good for the team,” King responded.
“I’m not potting (Petracca) as a player or a product – it’s the mix. They’ve got so many options to have a look at.
‘We’re at Rd 7. It is time to have a look.
The Suns leave the field after another tough loss.Source: Getty Images
“Maybe go one step backwards to correct this (lack of pressure) first and then reintegrate.
“I think they either change this (lack of pressure) and recover over the next few weeks – or they don’t change it and become an also ran. It’s as simple as that for the Gold Coast.
“If they don’t get defensively geared – Damien Hardwick teams have been defend first and then go at speed – this is ass about. They’ve got to get their heads out of their you know what and get their season back on track.”
The Suns will take on GWS next weekend before their two-match stretch in the Northern Territory.