AFL legend Garry Lyon has taken Gold Coast to task for the latest “embarrassment” that has reinstated the Suns as the competition’s laughing stock.
The southern Queensland club is being slammed from pillar to post for a dumfounding mistake that can best be described as laughable.
The Suns delisted star player Hugh Greenwood, despite the fact he still had a live contract with them. It was only meant to be a temporary measure so the club had enough list spots available under the rules ahead of the AFL draft.
But in the space of 48 hours, Greenwood was approached by rival club North Melbourne, and was enticed to sign a two-year deal with the Kangaroos as a delisted free agent.
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In trying to manipulate the draft rules to their own advantage, the Suns lost one of their best players.
“How do you arrive on the fact that Hugh Greenwood, of all the players on your list, is the one that might get passed on?” Lyon asked SEN radio.
“I know he’s had a knee injury, but Hugh Greenwood is everything the Gold Coast Suns aspire to be and never have been in their short period of existence.
“He is hard working, he is consistent, he is uncompromising, his standards don’t alter from week to week. He’s tough, he wins contested ball, he tackles, he plays his guts out every single time he takes the field and he’s the one player they think no one else is going to want to bid on?
“It is just unthinkable on every level. It’s an embarrassment on this footy club.”
The Suns have lacked leadership on the field and Lyon says that’s what 29-year-old Greenwood brought for the club, which the Suns now lose.
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“His leadership was unbelievable and I’m thinking for all the other problems this football club has got, at least they’ve got this bloke who looks to be a heart and soul player,” Lyon said.
“He is everything they aspire to be and they let him walk out the door. Not only did they let him walk out the door, they facilitated him walking out the door.
“Clearly they were trying to be too smart… you don’t open the door to having the fabric of your club ripped in half. He’s a fabric player.”
Since entering the competition in 2011 the Suns have never played finals, and haven’t finished a season higher than 12th on the ladder.
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