Suns adopt road trip mentality for Gabba mission
Shayne Hope |
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick will tap into his side’s strong interstate form in a bid to end a horror Gabba record in the AFL semi-final against the Brisbane Lions.
Tweaking their regular formula, the Suns will drive up the highway to Brisbane a day early for Saturday night’s knockout clash and stay at a hotel.
The preparation mimics Gold Coast’s usual travel plans for longer trips, with Hardwick mindful of his side’s positive 9-5 record outside Queensland this season.
It comes as the Suns attempt to end a seven-year losing streak at the Gabba, where they have beaten the Lions just three times in 16 attempts.
“We know what that M1 (highway) is like, so we just wanted to take that stress away and get away together as a group,” Hardwick told reporters on Thursday.
“We’ve played pretty well away this year so it’s a good one for the players just to get up there and relax, and that way their sole focus can be on the game.
“Our record up there hasn’t been the best so we’re going to try something that we think will bring the group together and hopefully end in a reasonable result.”
Gold Coast hold no fears on the road after toppling Fremantle at Optus Stadium in their elimination-final thriller last week.
But their long drought at the Gabba – where they suffered a 17-point defeat on their most recent visit in round eight – remains a sticking point.
“It’s daunting, but it’s another one that we have to tick off,” said Hardwick, who famously steered Richmond to premiership success under the Gabba lights in 2020.
“We’ve ticked off a number of things this year that we hadn’t done previously that we’ve looked forward to the challenge of doing so.
“There’s no greater challenge than winning at away venues and the Gabba is one of those.”
Brisbane hold a 21-8 advantage in head-to-head battles with Gold Coast ahead of what is undoubtedly the biggest QClash in history.
“I love to just win finals … it’s a faceless enemy as far as I’m concerned,” Hardwick said.
“I know we’re playing Brisbane, but we’ve just got to get the job done.
“We’re a one in six chance of going the distance. We don’t care who we play, where we play – we just want to win.”
In a huge blow to their premiership defence, Brisbane lost champion midfielder Lachie Neale to a calf injury in their qualifying-final defeat to Geelong.
The Lions were thoroughly outplayed by the Cats at the MCG.
“They’re a very proud side that didn’t have the performance they wanted last week,” Hardwick said.
“But I know (coach) Chris Fagan, I know (football boss) Danny Daly, I know the Brisbane Lions – they’re going to come out firing.”
AAP
