Just like his teammates, Gold Coast defender Rory Thompson can draw plenty of confidence from his club’s opening round AFL win over St Kilda.
The 22-year-old defender was one of the stars of the Suns’ 13-point win, restricting Saints’ captain Nick Riewoldt to just two first-half goals in a key one-on-one match-up.
But the challenge now is for Thompson to show he has what it takes to continually keep the league’s best forwards quiet, according to assistant coach Dean Solomon.
Thompson will most likely be asked to mark Sydney youngster Sam Reid in this weekend’s clash with the Swans at the SCG and Solomon says consistency is now the key for the Gold Coast defender.
“He’s our number one or two key defender so each week he knows he’s going to have a challenge and they’re going to be good players,” he said.
“He’s done well one week, there’s another week coming up right now and it’s against a premiership player. Another challenge arises and he’s preparing himself to go again.
“Whether he can execute again? That’s the big challenge for Rory, to back it up.”
Solomon said one thing that was exciting amongst the young Suns group after their win over the Saints is the confidence the team is developing.
The former Essendon and Fremantle player said a trip to the home of the premiers was now being viewed as a challenge to be relished rather than feared.
“It’s a super challenge,” he said.
“You see the group looking forward to these challenges rather than almost shying away which we may have done in the first couple of years.”