Gold Coast players look dejected after losing to North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium in round 17, 2024. Picture: Getty Images

FIFTEEN consecutive times Gold Coast has got on a plane at Coolangatta to play away from home, and 15 times it has returned with no premiership points.

In one of the more eye-popping statistics of this season, the Suns are 9-0 at home and 0-8 on the road ahead of Saturday's game against Greater Western Sydney at Engie Stadium.

But this travel problem goes back to the middle of 2023. Not since the round nine trip to Perth to face West Coast on May 12, where they won by 70 points, have the Suns returned victorious.

Yes, the Suns have subsequently been to their home away from home in Darwin for two-game trips in the middle of both seasons, winning all four matches, but these don't count to the travel record for obvious reasons.

So, what's going wrong and how do they change it?

Michael Rischitelli saw plenty in his 243-game career with Brisbane and Gold Coast, enduring travel from the east coast and suffering long losing streaks on the road.

Michael Rischitelli runs out for the match between Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney in round 23, 2019. Picture: Getty Images

In Gold Coast's formative 2011 and 2012 seasons, it went an entire year between triumphs, with victories against Richmond in Cairns – yes, they were Tigers home games, remember? – bookending the losing streak.

Rischitelli said such droughts could not be attributed to one thing, but conceded mindset was important to "breaking the curse".

"It's not the travelling that determines the losses, it's in the mind, it's the personnel, it's a lot of things," Rischitelli told AFL.com.au.

"Your preparation for traveling might have nothing to do with on-field, but it's hydration, it's flying in the right apparel - tights for the plane - it's everything. 

"You have to train to travel. It's not the flying, it's more the mindset.

"I dare say 'Dimma' (coach Damien Hatdwick) would be thinking of ways to break the curse and the reasons behind it.

"I'm sure there's elements on field that are causing the losses, but it's the mindset and the connection and for whatever reason there's a disconnect."

Ben King and Joel Jeffrey after Gold Coast's loss to St Kilda at Marvel Stadium in round 13, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

Hardwick said the Suns needed to "grow the f*** up" after their most recent loss away from Carrara, a four-point defeat to then-bottom placed North Melbourne.

Statistics provided by Champion Data show a stark drop-off in Player Ratings from many Suns when they travel.

SUNS' PLAYER RATINGS HOME v AWAY GAMES - SINCE R10, 2023
PLAYER AV. HOME RATING AV. AWAY RATING DROP OFF

Alex Sexton

10.0

3.0

-70%

Thomas Berry

7.2

4.0

-45%

Ben Long

7.6

4.7

-38%

Touk Miller

16.2

10.4

-36%

Ben King

8.0

5.3

-34%

Ned Moyle

17.8

12.0

-32%

Joel Jeffrey

11.4

8.3

-27%

Noah Anderson

18.6

14.0

-25%

David Swallow

7.6

5.7

-24%

Brandon Ellis

8.8

6.8

-23%

Will Graham

9.5

7.4

-23%

Alex Davies

10.5

8.3

-21%

Matt Rowell

17.6

14.9

-15%

Co-captain Touk Miller – who is currently sidelined with a fractured wrist – is 36 per cent down on his home output.

Touk Miller looks on after the R17 match between Gold Coast and North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on July 6, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

Ben King (34 per cent), Noah Anderson (25 per cent) and Matt Rowell (15 per cent) are all down from the team's prime movers.

Rischitelli said travelling was no excuse for losing, pointing to West Coast winning premierships with the longest and most arduous (along with Fremantle) schedule in the competition.

He said a lot like poor goalkicking when teams kicked a string of consecutive behinds, a losing streak could sometimes become contagious and get in your head.

Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson during Gold Coast's training session at Austworld Centre Oval on May 1, 2024. Picture: Getty Images

"It's a stat that's there, but it's probably not something the coaches are looking at," he said.

"They'd just be looking at who they're playing and how they can win. You've just got to find a way.

"Getting a win would be in the forefront of their mind, but every game is very very hard to win. Let's not forget there's a whole other club doing exactly the same as you out there.

"If you prep well and train well, you give yourself every chance. You just have to keep it simple and focus on the process."

Damien Hardwick addresses the players during the match between Fremantle and Gold Coast at Optus Stadium in round 15, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

Will it be 16th time lucky on Saturday? If Gold Coast has designs on playing in its first final in September, it might be a good time to break the streak.