The Gold Coast SUNS have assembled a coaching line-up boasting an amazing 11 Premierships and more than 1600 AFL games playing experience.With the recent arrival of former Melbourne and West Coast player Andy Lovell to the Coast, the coaching panel are together in their entirety for the first time this week, ready to impart their wealth of knowledge to the AFL’s newest team.

Lovell joins the list of ex-AFL players-turned-coaches guiding the GC SUNS, Guy McKenna, Ken Hinkley, Shaun Hart, Shane O’Bree, Dean Solomon, as well as Football Manager Marcus Ashcroft and Player Development Manager Simon Fletcher.

GC SUNS’ Senior Coach Guy McKenna brings his playing experience of 267 games, in a storied career that culminated in the former West Coast Eagles captain’s induction into the AFL Hall of Fame.

McKenna said the quality of football minds at the GC SUNS disposal, would benefit the players in a variety of ways.

Drawing on knowledge from their playing days at eight different AFL clubs, McKenna and his staff know the importance of this, their pre season training.

The lessons learned beneath sun, sweat and sunscreen, are an integral part of the players’ preparation for what promises to be an exciting and challenging baptism into the country’s biggest league.

Three time Premiership player and GC SUNS’ Football Manager Marcus Ashcroft is the AFL’s Queensland games record holder, playing 318 games for the Brisbane Bears/Brisbane Lions.

First year coach and former Brisbane and Collingwood player Shane O’Bree, trails only Ashcroft and McKenna in games played, after amassing 265 games over 12 AFL seasons.

318 – Marcus Ashcroft
267 – Guy McKenna
265 – Shane O’Bree
209 – Dean Solomon
173 – Shaun Hart
164 – Andy Lovell
132 – Ken Hinkley
90 – Simon Fletcher

Totalling 1618 games played