Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick swung the axe for his side’s Gather Round clash against GWS on Sunday afternoon.
The Suns made six unforced changes at selection with all of Connor Budarick, Brandon Ellis, Levi Casboult, Ben Long, Ned Moyle and Alex Sexton omitted.
Replacing them in the squad were Mac Andrew, Malcolm Rosas, Jarrod Witts, Sam Day, Bailey Humphrey and Darcy Macpherson, while Sam Clohesy, Ethan Read and Will Graham will start in the 23 for their debut games.
King doesn’t think that such mass changes would have happened in the past at Gold Coast with the side sitting 2-1 through three games.
Given that the Suns have started the season pretty well before the axe was swung, he thinks it’s a sign that Hardwick is prioritising the club’s future instead of a win-now mentality.
They discussed the selection decisions on SEN Breakfast.
King: “Can I tell you, it's getting real.
“It's getting real at Gold Coast when Damien Hardwick swings the axe and drops six, he made six changes.
“This would never have happened in the past.”
Cornes: “No.”
King: “This is when you know that winning and playing the Suns’ brand of football is the only thing he’s interested in.”
Cornes: “Do you think it's about winning or is it about winning in two years?
“If it's about winning now, are you not playing Ellis, Swallow and Sexton and not rolling out three debutants when you're 2-1 with finals on the agenda this year?
“Or is it about getting the games in as early as you can to these debutants, so in two years, you're in a position to win premierships, not just play finals?
“That’s my read on it anyway.”
The clash between the Suns and Giants at Adelaide Hills begins at 12:30pm (AEST) on Sunday.
