- Tony Cochrane is confident that the Gold Coast Suns will break their finals duck
- Cochrane feels Damien Hardwick has Gold Coast primed after a year in charge
Tony Cochrane is so confident Gold Coast will break their AFL finals drought by storming into the top four, the outspoken ex-Suns chairman has put money on it.
Gold Coast began their second season under Damien Hardwick in the best possible way on Sunday, destroying West Coast with a club record 87-point win.
Having had numerous false dawns during their 15 seasons in the AFL, Cochrane believes the Suns’ time to jump up the ladder is now.
‘Now that I’m not an AFL official, I’m allowed to bet again,’ the successful businessman told SEN.
‘I took a bet two months ago and put $25,000 on 500-1 we would finish top-four at the end of the home-and-away season.
‘So I’m very convicted that the Suns are going to do what you see about every third or fourth year, a team that sort of has an OK season the year before doesn’t just get into the eight, they really jump into the eight and finish in the top four.’
Ex-AFL boss Tony Cochrane believes Gold Coast are primed to make their first appearance in finals this season
Cochrane says he has placed a $25,000 bet on at 500-1 that the Suns will make finals in 2025
Cochrane feels Damien Hardwick (pictured centre) has Gold Coast primed after being in charge for more than 12 months.
As well as recruiting Richmond star Daniel Rioli and Collingwood’s John Noble, Cochrane feels Hardwick has Gold Coast primed after being in charge for more than 12 months.
‘I’m very, very gung-ho about the Suns this year,’ he said.
‘I think a lot of teams will end up this year fearing their games against the Suns.
‘They won’t be just winning at home, I think you’ll find we’ll put some very good wins together on the road this year.
‘I guess everybody could say it’s about time, well maybe it is about time, but let’s just make sure it’s our time.’
Cochrane also had a crack at the NRL, claiming the Suns have powered past their Gold Coast rivals, the Titans, in popularity in southeast Queensland.
‘They (Suns) have absolutely overtaken the Titans on the Gold Coast as the team of choice,’ he said.
‘There’s no question that AFL is very, very healthy on the Gold Coast from junior level all the way through.
‘It’s now the norm to see kids walking around in Suns gear, guys in Suns hats.
‘It’s definitely got its claws into the territory now.’
