Coast needs to boost AFL skill levels
Forget about Karmichael Hunt, the Gold Coast football club's skill level needs to rapidly improve across the board if they're to be competitive in their first official AFL season next year.
On a clear day, a dry surface and with a slight breeze flowing through Broadbeach football ground on Saturday, the AFL team in-waiting regularly failed to execute some of the most basic of skills.
Kicks missed targets, hand passes sailed overhead, chest marks were dropped and some easy shots at goal were butchered against bottom-side Frankston's part-time professionals.
GCFC assistant coach Ken Hinkley acknowledged the fledgling club was still a long way off being a slick AFL unit, although there were encouraging signs in the 57-point win.
"Our first half was a little bit sloppy in the way we used the ball, but I thought in the second half our endeavour to be a part of it and be amongst where the football was, we did really well and we used the ball by hand and broke it into some space," Hinkley said.
"We have to improve in everything, whether it's kicking, whether it's general ball handling, defence or stoppage work.
"We have a long way to go with improvement and that's what this season is all about.
"It's about developing the team to be able to go into an AFL season and try to compete from there."
The bulk of the 2011 side's best recruits will not arrive until after this AFL season has finished and the club can officially announce their major signings.
In the meantime, East Fremantle teenager David Swallow, South Fremantle's Brandon Matera and Calders Cannons graduate Taylor Hine all stood out against Frankston and can be expected to be a major part of the club's historic first season.
Besides needing an injection of experienced players, the club also needs a nickname and club song, although they are expected to be announced at a gala dinner on July 22.
Hine said he was looking forward to having a song to belt out after a win.
"At the moment we just stand around and hold hands," he said with a smile.
"We (now) just get in a circle and Bluey (coach Guy McKenna) gives us a rev up and talks about next week."
The Hunt experiment moves to the midfield against the Box Hill Hawks at Southport on Saturday before he is given a few weeks off playing to concentrate on his aerobic fitness.
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