Geelong and Gold Coast great Gary Ablett has shared his thoughts on the Suns’ rocky first decade in the competition.
The Suns entered the competition 10 years ago armed with nine first round draft selections and access to uncontracted players, including Ablett at his apex as a player.
Despite the wealth of concessions, the Suns never even qualified for the finals.
Guy McKenna’s team knocked on the door of the top eight in 2014 but fell short as Ablett succumbed to a shoulder injury.
That team has since been dismantled, with just five inaugural players on the list, with Stuart Dew now spearheading a rebuild.
Ablett was the Suns’ captain from 2011 to 2016, and on Friday he reflected on where it all went wrong for the expansion outfit.
“Looking back on my time at the Suns, if there was one thing I could change, it would be in the way we developed the boys early,” he told SEN WA Breakfast with Gilly and Goss.
“What I mean by that is just teaching the fundamentals of football.
“Because we had so many high draft picks, and so many talented kids come to the football club, we probably thought it was just going to happen.”
The dual Brownlow medallist recalled an interview with inaugural GWS coach Kevin Sheedy as the Giants struggled through their opening two seasons, winning just three of 44 games.
“He said in that article, ‘there’s method to my madness, I am developing these boys the right way but it is going to take time,’” Ablett explained.
“(Conversely), at times rather than developing the guys and teaching them the fundamentals of football, it was more about not getting beaten by 100 points every week.
“We were probably satisfied with getting beaten by 40 or 50, but (we) just weren’t investing that time in the guys, in developing them the right way.”
The eight-time All-Australian believes Dew and his young charges are on the path to premiership success, but it will be a slow burn.
“I think they’re heading in the right direction. I really do believe that,” Ablett continued.
“Speaking to some of the guys up there, it sounds like they’ve got the right coach on board, they’ve got some really great people around the club and they’ve got a really talented young list.
“It’s just going to take a bit of time.”
Three spots outside the top eight, the Suns will face an embattled Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.