GC SUNS captain Touk Miller says his side are ‘well and truly aware’ of what they want to accomplish on the eve of the 2024 AFL season.
Speaking on SEN on Monday morning, the SUNS co-captain says the expectations of reaching finals football and challenging for premierships is only fuelling the fire on the Gold Coast.
“We’re well and truly aware of what we want to accomplish, we want to challenge for finals and the ultimate goal in winning premierships,” Miller said.
“As a whole football club, we’re aware of where we sit, what we haven’t done and what we want to do. We feel really strongly that we have the right systems and people in place to get what we want and the Gold Coast its first opportunity.”
On Sunday, Miller was appointed alongside Jarrod Witts at the peak of the SUNS leadership group, the first under new Senior Coach Damien Hardwick, alongside vice-captains Sam Collins and Noah Anderson.
Now in his third campaign as skipper, the 28-year-old says he’ll continue to let his actions do the talking as he eyes on-field consistency in 2024 following an injury-interrupted 2023.
“It (being sidelined in 2023) gave me a bit more perspective on how much I missed it and enjoy playing footy. Coming into pre-season, all I wanted was to be healthy,” Miller continued.
“I’ve been really fortunate to get an entire pre-season in and I feel really fit and healthy and ready to go for a big season this year.
“I do pride myself on how I train and how I hold myself on and off the field. I feel like by doing that to the best of my ability that people follow.
“Off-field, you’re continually working on relationships and building rapport with the entire club. Especially the younger blokes… I feel like I’m getting a bit older now.
“Sometimes as a leader you need to remember that the important part is playing well and delivering on that first, and then you can reap in other areas. I feel like if I’m doing that, I’m leading at my best.”
Miller also praised the environment being developed on the Gold Coast under Hardwick.
“He’s been fantastic. For us, what’s been the biggest piece for the club is his ability to implement a system.
“He’s been unreal, we haven’t lost sight of what we are and that’s a strong running team. We’re highly engaged in being coachable and I think we’ve done that really well.
“He works on a lot of people’s strengths. Obviously, he’s been there and done it before and I have a lot of trust in what he’s delivering and doing.”
The SUNS next face the GWS Giants in an AAMI Community Series clash in Canberra on Thursday night before the March 9 season opener against Richmond at Heritage Bank Stadium.
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