Gold Coast’s finals temperature check: Run home, wildcard player, why they can win it and more

SEN’s The Run Home team of Andy Maher, Josh Jenkins and Julian De Stoop have undertaken a finals temperature check on the teams still in contention.

They have taken a close look at some varying categories which could decide whether they qualify for finals in some cases or even contend for the premiership.

The categories are: The Run Home, Recent Signature Win, Wildcard Player, Medical Room (key outs), Why They Can (make it/win it) and Why They Can’t (make it/win it).

The Gold Coast Suns are next up. Can Damien Hardwick guide them to a maiden finals berth?

The Run Home

Round 20: v Brisbane (PFS)
Round 21: v West Coast (OS)
Round 22: v Essendon (MS)
Round 23: v Melbourne (PFS)
Round 24: v Richmond (MCG)

Jenkins: “That is a disgrace that they have to go from Gold Coast to Perth to play West Coast then to Melbourne to play Essendon.

“That shouldn’t happen at this time of year. That is despicable.”

Recent Signature Win

Their 64-point thrashing of Geelong in Round 10 and the hard-fought 14 point win over Port Adelaide in Round 18.

Wildcard Player

Touk Miller

Jenkins: “Getting him back and getting him into the middle and getting that midfield group up and going.

“They don’t have enough firepower at the front half as far as I’m concerned. They’ve got a great forward in Ben King, but not a lot else around him.

“Touk Miller means a dominant midfielder.”

Medical Room (key outs)

Ben Ainsworth (shoulder, season)
Sam Day (foot, 1-2 weeks)
Touk Miller (wrist, 1-2 weeks)

Jenkins: “Touk Miller is still a couple of weeks away. They need to get him back.”

Why They Can

Jenkins: “They can’t.”

Why They Can’t

Jenkins: “Immaturity. They’ve proven time and time and time again that they’re immature.

“They’ll need to travel if they make it so therefore you can count them straight out.

“They lack a secondary key forward. In a few years they won’t because Jed Walter will be a good player by then, but at the moment they lack a foil for Ben King.”