Gold Coast SUNS CEO Travis Auld has flagged the club will push for a prime time Friday night football slot next season for the first time in its history.

The AFL is not far away from asking clubs for fixture requests for next season’s home and away draw, and Auld said his club had now earnt the right to ask for a spot in the most sought-after timeslot of the week.

“You’ve got to earn your spot for Friday night football, but I believe we play a brand of football that attracts people, so they might be looking to fixture us next year,” Auld told AFL.com.au.

“What we’re not sure about is the impact on visiting supporters if we play on a Friday night as opposed to Saturday, but we’re ready to test it and learn more about our market.”

The club set a new ground record on Saturday night when 24,032 fans packed in to Metricon Stadium to watch the GC SUNS pip Collingwood by five points in a thriller.

While Gold Coast still has some way to go before it can lock in September footy, Auld said the club was already preparing for the possibility of playing in the finals series.

“We’ve never made the finals before so from an administrative point of view, we have to start preparing for what the finals would mean for the football club. It is only right to do so.”

Auld said the wins over AFL heavyweights Geelong and Collingwood had generated a lot more respect from across the competition.

“You certainly become more relevant in the sporting landscape after a win like that (over the Magpies). A lot of the people who have been on the journey from the start, including our major partners, also get to share in the enjoyment and the excitement.”