GOLD Coast is one of the early surprise packets of 2018, opening with two impressive wins to start their nine-game road trip due to the unavailability of Metricon Stadium because of the Commonwealth Games.
This week they embark on a new challenge, following their first two games in Cairns and Melbourne with back-to-back games in Western Australia. The Suns start with a designated 'home' game against Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Saturday, followed a week later by an away game against West Coast.
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And they're spending a week away from their 'home away from home' to do it. Already bumped out of their permanent digs by the Games, they're also leaving their temporary home at Bond University. About 25 players, plus 15 support staff will fly to Perth on Thursday and remain there for 10 days.
They'll stay at a city hotel immediately before and after each match but will spend several days in between at some apartments in Fremantle. Their schedule for the entire week will mirror that of a regular week at home. All their medical, training and IT equipment will be coming to Perth with them for the duration.
"Reviews, planning, football department operational meetings and those types of meetings we will do the same over there, just at different locations," said Gold Coast's general manager of football operations, Jon Haines.
"We have a new senior coach, list manager, and general manager of football, so this is a great opportunity to spend time with the players and develop relationships."
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Some part-time match-day staff will be making two return trips to Perth, while the club also has access to some Perth-based volunteers for match-day roles.
Planning for the big shift west came as soon as the fixture was released last October. The Suns sold the home game to Fremantle for a hefty six-figure sum, with the Dockers hoping to recoup much of the expense from ticket sales. Fremantle members will need to pay a general admission fee to access the match.
The irony for the Suns is that they're away from home for almost all of the Commonwealth Games – the event that has caused all this inconvenience in the first place – but a week in Perth still represents fewer logistical challenges than their now annual China game.
"With China, there's the cultural and language challenges that we have to manage," Haines said. "All we are doing this week is preparing for and playing a game."
This is only the second time the Suns have won their opening two games of the season and they seem re-energised by new coach Stuart Dew.
"We have been pleased not just with rounds one and two but also the JLT (Community) Series before that," Haines said. "We've seen see positive signs about how the players have embraced the new program and what we've practised in the pre-season.
"The wins have provided an element of confidence that what we are teaching is working."
