The Gold Coast SUNS’ defensive unit could be one of the most unpredictable in the AFL after an influx of new talent in the off-season.
Even the man in charge of overseeing the group, defensive coach Josh Drummond, is coming into a new environment after joining the SUNS from North Melbourne at the end of last year.
The former Brisbane defender is back living in his home state and says his defensive group has an air of the unknown about them which will cause plenty of headaches for opposition coaches.
“Obviously there’s a lot of new faces around the club and a few of those in defence as well with guys like Jack Hombsch and Jordan Murdoch and Ben King,” Drummond told SUNS Media.
“I’m just really excited - obviously I’ve watched them from afar over the years.
“We like the way guys like Rory Thompson and Jarrod Harbrow and a few different guys go about it and (it’s) great to have guys like Pearce Hanley hopefully getting some good footy into him this year.”
Drummond is one of five new coaches on the new-look SUNS panel this year which Stuart Dew has trusted with bringing the club success in the future.
It comes as part of a major coaching and playing group overhaul in the off-season, but Drummond says it’s been refreshing to have everyone working towards the same goal.
“You do walk into a bit of the unknown coming from a different club and a lot of guys are in similar boats coming from other clubs but we’ve been welcomed with open arms,” he said.
“The way the coaching group has gelled has been really good with some different ideas and different philosophies and ways to go about things.
“Everyone’s bought into Dewy’s way of going about it and we fall in behind him and the playing group have done that as well.”
He’s now been at the club for over five months which has given Drummond the chance to build relationships within the playing group.
It’s a facet of his coaching which he places extreme importance on, and is an overall value which Stuart Dew and the football department rely on.
“The relationships are huge throughout the whole club on and off the field,” Drummond said.
“I think everyone’s been really buying into that with a lot of new faces and we’ve got a lot of guys moving away and living away from home.
“It’s really important for us to build that family culture around the club and I think with all the changes that have been made everyone’s really bought into that and so far so good.”
The SUNS have ramped up match simulation sessions in the past weeks and are now beginning preparations for a practice match against the Lions on the Family Night Out next weekend.
It’s the first time the club will play against another AFL club this pre-season before the JLT Community Series commences on Sunday March 3.
“Everyone speaks really positively this time of year when there’s no scoreboard pressure but I think our boys are genuinely really keen to test ourselves against some genuine opposition,” Drummond said.
“They’ve ticked all the boxes in terms of their physical preparation and the work they put in to this date.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done leading up to the season but I think there’s a real excitement to test what we’ve been working on.
“We’re certainly looking forward and ready for that challenge coming up in the near future.”
Click here for more information about the Family Night Out and how you can attend the practice match on Saturday February 23.
