Gold Coast star Touk Miller insists the Suns remain as connected as ever behind closed doors, despite admitting the club has “lost its identity” amid a horror nine-game losing streak.
Speaking after the Suns’ finals hopes were all but extinguished last Saturday afternoon with a loss to Carlton, the former co-captain admitted his side had fallen well below the standards expected, but insisted the playing group remained united behind the scenes.
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“It’s definitely been difficult, but I honestly believe that the way our club’s been building over time, that we’ve actually got a really strong culture going on,” Miller began by telling AFL 360.
“It’s probably hard to see that outside the four walls, but we’ve been as connected as a club. The losses definitely hurt and are making things a lot harder than they need to be, but sometimes when you’re on your knees a bit, it makes it a lot easier to bring yourself together.
“I think we’re doing a good job of that inside the four walls.”
While defending the club’s culture, Miller conceded the Suns had drifted away from the brand of football that had underpinned their rise earlier this season under three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick.
The 30-year-old admitted Gold Coast has lost its identity this season, pointing to its inability to consistently compete at the contest and defend as the key reasons behind the club’s dramatic slide.
Petracca and Lombard friends again | 01:38
“I dare say we’ve tried not to leave any stone unturned at the moment. It’s clearly not the position we want to be in; we understand that the way that we’re playing … you’re judged on win-loss, and ours has been really poor for nine games in a row,” Miller said.
“I dare say it’s not one thing at the moment. The best thing that we can do, and what we’ve been trying to double-down on, is building an identity. I think we’ve lost that this year.
It’s pretty evident we haven’t been playing a strong brand of football. Footy’s won and lost in the contest and defensively, and we’ve been really poor in that … if we can continue to build that going into these last four games, I think we can really shape what it looks like in the future.
“But, at the moment, we’re not playing at the level we need to be.”
Last October, the Suns welcomed 2021 Norm Smith Medallist Christian Petracca to the fold from Melbourne, alongside the likes of Academy product Zeke Uwland, Dylan Patterson, Jai Murray and Beau Addinsall, among others.
After beginning their season with a stunning 56-point win over Geelong in Opening Round, Hardwick’s side burst out to a 3-0 start that led many to believe they were a genuine premiership contender — if not the favourite.
Petracca update after Lombard incident | 01:34
However, reports of disconnect have continued to build traction, leading to accusations of selfishness and friction within the group.
“I definitely am (confident we’re selfless). Sometimes people are quick to forget that relationships take time. This group specifically has only been together for 10 months — and we have got a lot of young players that are finding their own way with football as well. But, that’s on us leaders to make sure that we’re guiding them in the right direction,” Miller added.
“We’re doing a really strong job at trying to mare sure our relationships are strong behind the four walls — and that’s not just player-to-player, that’s coach-to-player.
“We’re well aware that if we want to take this club forward, it requires us to have trust in each other — and that starts with building really strong relationships .. I think at the moment it’s just a matter of building it from week-to-week.”
When questioned on Petracca and Leo Lombard’s dispute last Saturday afternoon, Miller responded: “You obviously go to the players first and foremost; you make sure you check in with both of them.
“When something gets blown up in the media like that, it’s never nice for anyone that’s involved … It’s obviously a bad look on both sides, but I think it’s the conversation they had after — that’s the main thing. Those two have a really good relationship, and they spend a lot of time together in the locker room.
“These thing’s happen in footy. They’re both great people, and great footballers as well.”
Gold Coast’s next shot at breaking their large losing streak comes on Sunday afternoon at People First Stadium against Melbourne, where Petracca will face his old club for the first time since being traded.