When senior football aficionados mention the phrase ‘blue skies ahead’, typically the path recently travelled has been muddled with bleak, miserable patches that have been below expectation. And that’s been exactly the case at the Gold Coast SUNS this season. Although a never-before-seen injury toll has played a significant role in the SUNS demise thus far in 2015.

On Saturday afternoon, in far from rosy conditions in Tasmania against the reigning premier, Hawthorn, Gold Coast responded with a spirited showing in the opening half. The final two terms was arguably a tale of the gulf in class, particularly in the midfield department where the SUNS are lacking their four best onballers.

Despite an eighth loss from nine starts, Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade is confident in the direction his young, inexperienced side is taking. An absence of effort for large patches against Collingwood was telling last weekend, but the endeavour was present for the majority of the contest against the Hawks.

“I can see some blue skies ahead because we’re building the right way. It’s just going to take some time. I don’t think it’s going to take twelve months. We’ve just got to hang in there as a group. Obviously we’ll have some white noise on the outside, but I think there is some progress,” Eade told reporters on Saturday.

“I think there’s some progress. I’ve got no doubt. I think internally, leadership and some things like that people aren’t going to see we’re really getting some good traction, the players are taking more ownership which is good – they’re challenging each other more.

“I think on the playing field, some of the players that are being thrown in the deep end are starting to show some signs and hopefully that batch of players will take over from players who have been here for three or four, five years who have probably rested on their laurels.”

With an embarrassment of riches in the medical ward at Metricon Stadium, inexperienced players like Kade Kolodjashnij, Alex Sexton and Jesse Lonergan have been given greater responsibility and exposure than they otherwise would have if there were a clean bill of health.

Eade can see the silver lining of a dark situation at the SUNS, with first, second and third year players beginning to reap the rewards of having to develop on the job at AFL level.

“I think some other players are growing, players like Sexton and Kolodjashnij are really growing. I think Lonergan’s starting to see some signs,” Eade said.

“The first year players are eventually going to hit a wall – [Adam] Saad and [Touk] Miller because they’ve carried a load.”