McKenna signs new Suns deal

Updated May 25, 2012 08:28:53

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna has signed a contract extension to keep him at Carrara Stadium until the end of 2014.

The Suns' inaugural coach has been at the club since 2008 moulding together a playing list that joined the AFL in 2011 and won three games in their first season.

The second year has been difficult thus far and, with the exception of a creditable performance against Essendon in week three, there have been few high points and a thrashing from the Brisbane Lions in the Q Clash and defeat to first-year outfit Greater Western Sydney notable lows.

Despite this, Gold Coast chairman John Witheriff insists the club still believes McKenna, whose previous deal ran out in 2013, is the right man to turn the young side into a competitive outfit.

"Phase one started four years ago when we set up the foundations of the club, building an administration, fan base, playing group and Metricon Stadium. Phase two is about success and that will be reflected in Guy's approach as senior coach," he said.

"The reality for us is we're moving into phase two and phase two means in the next four years we've got to win consistently.

"Guy has been charged with the unique challenge of bringing together a playing group that predominantly consisted of talented teenagers who were yet to play a senior game of AFL football and transforming them into an elite team.

"That transformation was always going to take longer than Guy's original contract period and the board was unanimous in its belief that Guy deserves the opportunity and time required to complete this challenge."

McKenna, a two-time flag winner and captain at West Coast Eagles, is happy to be able to given the opportunity to bring the Suns to the next level.

"I was extremely comfortable with the process and I am thrilled that I will have the opportunity to continue as senior coach of the Gold Coast Football Club," he said.

"Everyone has a role to play in the evolution of our club. I am proud of what the club has achieved so far and it's my challenge to ensure we now deliver a winning attitude at the club in the coming years."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, nerang-4211, carrara-4211

First posted May 25, 2012 08:28:53

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McKenna has positive spin on Ablett injury

Updated July 10, 2011 15:12:00

Gary Ablett, Gold Coast's million-dollar man and the face of AFL expansion, could be sidelined for several weeks with a knee injury - but try telling coach Guy McKenna that is a bad thing.

Smiling in the face of another heavy defeat after his side's 70-point shellacking at the hands of Sydney, McKenna is renowned for chalking up his side's now-customary beltings as a rite of passage for his youngsters.

They may well become better footballers for the school of hard knocks that 2011 is proving to be for the Suns, but not even the loss of his superstar captain and the massive ramifications it will bring could get him singing the blues.

"I'd almost see it as a positive," McKenna said.

"He's been so good and he's carried such a workload so what that would do is now allow us to play another young kid and spread the load and see who actually wants to put their hand up and stay the course.

"If there is a beauty about Gary missing a game for us that would be it.

"We get to see and expose another boy that wants to have a crack."

That might be McKenna's top priority at the moment after an embarrassing display from the Suns.

They were held to just 36 points - the lowest total score in Gold Coast's short history.

"Individually and collectively, we lost a bit of respect tonight," he said.

"You're not going to win games of footy with 39 (inside 50s). The spark wasn't quite there, with or without Gaz.

"There was probably half a dozen fellas who flew that flag tonight and that was disappointing.

"With such a young group if only six are putting their hand up, it makes it very, very difficult."

Scans on Monday will reveal the extent of Ablett's knee injury, after he limped from the field during the first quarter.

The 2009 Brownlow Medallist returned during the second term before being substituted off.

AFL medical specialist Peter Larkins told Nine's The Sunday Footy Show that the first-year club's marquee signing was unlikely to be facing a long stint on the sidelines.

"There's no question that's not a major ligament injury," Larkins said.

"It's going to be either meniscus or just bruising in the bone, nothing more dramatic than that.

"It just doesn't seem like much at all."

The Swans have injury concerns of their own after their trip to Metricon Stadium - but theirs came before the match had even started.

Veteran Jude Bolton was an eleventh-hour withdrawal after complaining of knee soreness in the pre-game warm-up.

"When Jude says that you really listen because he's such a tough nut," Sydney coach John Longmire said.

"That doesn't happen too often to a bloke like Jude.

"I'm hoping it's OK."

Longmire will find out if he is after scans on Monday.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, qld, carrara-4211

First posted July 10, 2011 14:25:00

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Press Call: Guy McKenna

Published:Saturday, May 14, 2011 8:23 AESTExpires:Friday, August 12, 2011 8:23 AEST

Suns coach Guy McKenna said his young side carried out his game plan of a quick start but just could not maintain the intensity against the Crows.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, sa, adelaide-5000

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Interview: Guy McKenna

Published:Sunday, April 24, 2011 1:35 AESTExpires:Saturday, July 23, 2011 1:35 AEST

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna told Gerard Whateley and The Sunday Inquisition team that while the Suns savoured their historic first win straight after they beat Port Adelaide but preparation for next Sunday's clash with Essendon is already underway.

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Interview: Guy McKenna

Published:Saturday, April 23, 2011 3:37 AESTExpires:Friday, July 22, 2011 3:37 AEST

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna told Grandstand that he realised before the season started that the fledgling AFL club would do it tough early on but the Suns need to continue to grow in each game along the way.

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Brown must earn back trust: McKenna

Updated April 12, 2011 18:35:00

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna admits Campbell Brown must earn back his team-mates' trust after accepting a four-week AFL ban on Tuesday.

The former Hawthorn defender will miss the next four games for his part in two incidents in the clash with the Western Bulldogs at the weekend.

Brown opted not to contest a two-match ban for striking Callan Ward during last Saturday's game at Docklands.

And he also accepted a two-match suspension for making forceful contact against Bulldogs forward Barry Hall.

McKenna said a "remorseful" Brown addressed the young Suns playing group on Tuesday as they prepared for this weekend's clash with Melbourne.

"I spoke to him over the course of the weekend (and) he addressed the playing group today," he said.

"Obviously he was remorseful to the playing group.

"He understands that he has let them down.

"He has to earn back their trust - which I am sure he will do.

"He's deputy vice-captain ... we would like to think all of our players, not just our leaders, make good decisions on and off the field."

Asked what he thought of the four-week penalty, McKenna said: "Four weeks is four weeks and we will accept that.

"One of the things when we recruited Browny was because of his hardness and his attack on the football.

"But we want to play hard and fair - we certainly don't want to play outside the rules.

"The rules are quite clear. Unfortunately he has crossed that line. He takes his medicine and we move on."

McKenna admitted Brown left a big hole in a Suns outfit that had been hopeful of registering an historic first win against Melbourne at the Gabba on Sunday.

"He was just starting to run across the ground after an interrupted preseason," McKenna said.

"He's certainly part of the glue that binds our defence together alongside Nathan Bock.

"His leadership and his hardness will be sorely missed."

- AAP

First posted April 12, 2011 18:12:00

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