TONY Cochrane says there are no more excuses for Gold Coast, describing its new $22 million training facility as the final piece of the puzzle in making the Suns a truly professional club.
The outspoken Suns chairman said the new facility – unveiled to media on Thursday – now made them a "fair-dinkum club" and he expected the results to follow.
He described 2017 as a make-or-break year, but stopped short of demanding a maiden finals appearance.
Cochrane did however say he expected the Suns to play in a Grand Final in the next three years.
"We're a fair-dinkum club now," he said.
"We've got a great playing list, a very good coaching staff and now we've got the last bit of the triad, which is to move into a fair-dinkum facility.
"I think this year we've got a very, very strong playing list, we've got some depth for the first time ever and everybody in this club, whether you're the coach or the cleaner, they know this is a really critical year in the history of the Gold Coast Football Club.
"This is a make-or-break year, we've got to be a success this year."
Co-captain Steven May agreed with Cochrane, saying there were no more excuses.
"We've always blamed something, whether it's medical staff, injuries or facilities and we've addressed all those areas and we're ready to earn some respect," May said.
"We haven't had the best facilities, we've struggled on the ladder, and I just feel like we've grown a thicker skin and laid the right foundation.
"Heading into the next couple of years it looks pretty exciting for our club.
"The facility doesn't give you wins, it just helps with the mental side of things."
The club's administration and football staff have moved into the facility – just 200m from their old demountable buildings – in the past week.
It contains everything under the one roof, from change rooms to gym to a three-lane pool, hot and cold baths and a medical room.
It's a far cry from the tin shed in which players have lifted since the club was formed in 2008.
"To be really honest, a 20-kilo weight weighs just as much in a tin shed as it does here," Cochrane said.
"However, what something like this does, is it lifts everyone's spirits. It makes us for the first time ever a true club.
"We have a true club base where every activity can be centred in one location."
