Concerns for the Gold Coast Suns have started to spew up in the wake of their four-game losing streak that has stressed the importance of a massive positional switch-up in position for an extremely underutilised midfielder. I'm of course talking about shifting the magnets to make Touk Miller come off halfback.
Time is running out for the Suns to meet the expectations they were given with before the season after making the finals for the first time in the club's history last year with a 15-8 record to notch the seventh spot on the ladder. They now sit just outside the eight with a 7-7 record and have the AFL world asking all the wrong questions.
To most, the main cause of this losing streak is as bright as the Sun itself through what should be one of the best midfield groups in the competition from a list point of view. This is where change starts for a club dubbed the 'on-paper premiers'; with serious positional changes needed around the field to shake up their attack and use players who have been made redundant to their best ability.
The change to the back to brighten the Suns
Miller's lack of form can be attributed to four-time All-Australian Christian Petracca being signed in the off-season and now taking up a large role in the midfield alongside captain Noah Anderson and reigning Brownlow Medallist Matthew Rowell.
Finishing as the 16th rated team in terms of clearances, 17th rated in opposition clearances and 17th rated in stoppage clearances, the Suns are down there in the pit of mismanagement with the likes of Essendon and Richmond. The Suns being the 15th rated tackling team in the competition also shows the lack of pressure and hunger from the midfield has become contagious to the team around it.
Though from going off of what Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick said during his press conference after the Hawthorn loss: "It's not through lack of effort, it's through lack of detail", where the Suns need to improve and that could be moving Miller to where he can get more of the ball and in doing so compliment the already fast-moving backline.
Adding Daniel Rioli and John Noble to the team was always going to be interesting, but now that this motion-oriented defence is beginning to shatter, some extra ammunition may be needed if players like Sam Collins and Bodhi Uwland aren't getting the help of defensive intent that they need down there to hold the line.
I'm not saying Miller is a key defender but he's a potential defender that could already gel well with the type of quick playstyle they have bursting out of the back with he is already averaging more tackles than both Rioli and Noble at 3.7 a game. His speedy burst with the ball and ability to kick on target under pressure will help a halfback line who currently has the 3rd most metres gained out of every team, by helping turn some of these passages into scoring opportunities.
Frustration in direction and leadership lacking
The frustration of not being named captain could also still be on Miller's mind, after Anderson was given the captaincy at the age of 24 ahead of last season and being given the reigns to the midfield officially in the process.
It would be hard for any player to gain confidence in his game after a decision like that and it's certainly gotten to the point where Miller has struggled to find his rhythm and sometimes a change of scenery coming off half-back is the perfect way to find it after seeing how players like Jack Sinclair and Lachie Whitfield adjusted to their new role.
"That was a hard pill to swallow, it definitely hurt. It was brutal. It was a pretty empty feeling," Miller said in the AFL Prime documentary.
"I'm not going to lie, it was definitely something at the start that was a hard thing to take."
Veterans Collins, Petracca and Jarrod Witts are there with the experience but their presence seems minimal on the field from a leadership point of view, when they need be some of the players helping steer the club in the right direction. Miller is also included in this group, with his move to halfback being the perfect opportunity to provide some experience with half of their current back six being aged 23 and below.
The Suns may be setting
The forward line and goal-scoring has remained strong however thanks to the work from Coleman medal leader Ben King. However, a part from the spearhead forward, who doesn't have many other tricks in his bag, there's no other consistent scoring option there to step up in games when called upon.
Though the distraction of Bailey Humphrey's future would be hard to not acknowledge as a component that could be throwing his form off while making the other young players around him in Jed Walter and Jai Murray, not wanting to buy into the club long-term and checkout as a result.
They've got their coach, they've developed their top picks and they've just recently notched their first finals, but yet hope is dimming in the sunshine state. In this writer's opinion the top eight looks less than likely for the Suns, with a wildcard finish their best chance of cracking the finals again and even that is slim in trusting a still young-team to win a big game.
Whether it's a change needed for their backline or a re-alingment up forward, the Suns have a lot to figure out if they want to be taken seriously as a finals threat and branch out from the nepo baby labels that have defined them since their inception.
