A season that promised so much might be ending in disappointment for Gold Coast but coach Guy McKenna says, even in their struggles, his AFL team are getting better.
Saturday’s nine-point loss to Port Adelaide appears to have put a final nail in the coffin in the Suns’ hopes for a maiden finals berth.
It was the club’s third defeat in four matches since superstar captain Gary Ablett’s season came to a premature end due to shoulder surgery.
McKenna says while there’s no doubt the team has stuttered rather than strutted to the finish line, they’ll be better for the experience.
“Clearly the experience, the games into these boys, we were probably at some stage going to hit that wall,” he said.
“Dion Prestia today went to another level getting tagged like he has done for the last three weeks.
“If Gary’s there, would that happen? No. Tom Lynch just continues to grow as a leader. That’s the thing … when the business hits the fan, we’re not winning at the moment but, individually, there’s some massive steps forward.
“The growth in these boys has just been fantastic.”