Forming the Gold Coast Suns Quiz | AFL Teams

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. It all started on 22nd April 2008 when the AFL invited a group of important Gold Coast representatives to form a board. This board took part in a long six month process to show how a license for a Gold Coast AFL team already had the foundations for a successful club. This is how the Gold Coast bid team came along. What did the bid team call themselves?

Answer: GC17

The GC17 bid team was made up of six important Gold Coast figures. Minter Ellison, head of the largest Australian-based international law firm group, John Witheriff, the Gold Coast chairman, Graeme Downie, an ex-Brisbane Lions president, Dr Alan Mackenzie, president of the Southport Sharks, the local AFL Queensland team, Dale Dickson, the CEO of the Gold Coast city council and Bob Gordon, a Gold Coast Bulletin editor.

They had to provide the AFL with all the different things required before the AFL gave them a license.

2. The Gold Coast signed their inaugural coach in August 2008. This person had previously had a highly successful playing career with the West Coast Eagles. He coached the WAFL team Claremont and had an assistant coach role with both the Eagles and the Collingwood Magpies. Who was this person?

Answer: Guy McKenna

Guy McKenna was appointed head coach of the Gold Coast football club in August 2008. They added later three assistant coaches (Ken Hinkley, Dean Solomon and Shane O'Bree), a Development and Skills Acquisition Coach (Andy Lovell) and a Development and Reserves Coach (Shaun Hart) to complete their coaching list.

3. On the 17th of February 2009, the Gold Coast signed their first major sponsor, a major step towards being granted a license. They signed a superannuation fund. Who was their first major sponsor?

Answer: HostPlus

On the 17th of February 2009, the Gold Coast signed HostPlus as their major sponsor, a superannuation fund who also sponsored the NRL club the Melbourne Storm. Later, on the 6th of December 2010, the Gold Coast signed Virgin Blue, an airline company, as their second major sponsor.

4. On 31st March 2009 the AFL granted the Gold Coast team a license to join the AFL. This came after the Gold Coast team successfully filled all the criteria needed for a license. They played in the TAC cup for the 2009 season, but then joined another league in 2010 before finally playing in the AFL in 2011. What league did the Gold Coast join in the 2010 season?

Answer: VFL

The Gold Coast team played in the Victorian Football League in 2010. They had a mixed season, winning five times, losing twelve times and drawing once. They finished tenth on the ladder out of fourteen teams.

The QAFL is the Queensland Australian Football League, a league featuring teams from south-east Queensland. The WAFL is the West Australian Football League, a league featuring teams from Perth and surrounding places. The NEAFL is the North East Australian Football League, a league that formed in 2010 and features teams from New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. It also features the reserves teams for the AFL teams the Sydney Swans, the Brisbane Lions, the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Gold Coast.

5. The Gold Coast entered their first ever draft in the 2009 rookie draft. Here, they had picks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Who did they *not* draft with one of these five picks?

Answer: Zac Smith

With these picks they drafted Daniel Harris, a midfielder previously listed with North Melbourne, Michael Coad, a mature aged rookie from Stuart in South Australia, Sam Iles, who was recruited from Box Hill, Roland Ah Chee from Norwood in South Australia and Danny Stanley, who was previously listed with Collingwood. These were the only picks they made in this draft.

6. During a press conference on the 22nd of July 2010, the Gold Coast team announced their nickname, colours, logo, club song and three jumpers, a home jumper, an away jumper and a clash jumper. They announced their nickname, the "Suns", and their colours, red, gold and blue. Which of the following lyrics did not appear in the Gold Coast Suns new club song?

Answer: "We'll shine no matter the weather"

The club song goes like this:
"We are the suns of the Gold Coast sky,
We are the one in the red, gold and blue,
We are the mighty Gold Coast Suns,
We play to win the flag for you.

Fight! Fight! Fight! Until we hold up the cup,
Run! Run! run all the way, hey!
We are the suns of the Gold Coast sky,
We're the team who never say die!"

The Gold Coast weren't always named the Suns, they originally said they wouldn't even have a nickname and they would just be called "Gold Coast Football Club". The bid team were forced to ditch their preferred nickname the "sharks" due to trade mark issues.

7. In late October 2010, the AFL announced the AFL fixtures for the 2011 season. As the AFL had an uneven number of teams this year, each team had 2 byes. The Gold Coast had a bye in round one and round nine. This meant that their first game was in round 2. Who were they fixtured to play against in round 2?

Answer: Carlton

The Suns wanted a big blockbuster game for their first game to attract more people. The round two game was played at the Gabba, Brisbane, and it was very one sided. Carlton beat the Suns 171 to 52. A big margin was expected, however, as the Suns were only new. Charlie Dixon kicked the Gold Coast's first ever goal.

8. After coming off the bye, the Suns were fixtured to play their first game at the newly redeveloped Carrara Stadium, which was named Metricon Stadium at the time due to sponsorship, in round 10. Who were they fixtured to play?

Answer: Geelong

The AFL gave the Gold Coast the bye in round 9 in order for Carrara Stadium to be ready on time for round 10, when the Suns played their first ever game at the newly redeveloped venue. The Suns played their first ever game at the venue on the 28th of May 2011, when they lost to Geelong by 66 points in front of a crowd of 23 302.

The new development meant the stadium could now hold 25 000 people.

9. The 2010 AFL was the first proper draft the Gold Coast entered, apart from the 2009 rookie draft. The Suns had the cream of the crop in terms of draft picks. They were given the first pick of each round, along with picks 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 and 15. Who did the Suns pick with pick number 1?

Answer: David Swallow

David Swallow, brother of North Melbourne star Andrew Swallow, was the Suns' first pick at pick number 1. He was originally from East Fremantle in Western Australia. Swallow was allowed to play for the Gold Coast in the 2010 VFL season, as long as they picked him at either pick 1, 2 or 3.

10. The last step before the 2011 AFL season was the preseason competition, aka the NAB cup. The 2011 NAB cup was different to the past NAB cup as instead of the regular knock-out format, they went with a completely different format. The format they went with was a lightning round, where in the first round a team played two teams in one day. Each game took two twenty minute halves. After this the regular NAB cup format came in to place. Who did the Suns play in the first round?

Answer: Sydney and Greater Western Sydney

The Suns were in a pool with the Sydney Swans and the Greater Western Sydney Giants, who were to officially enter the AFL in 2012. The Suns won both of their games, beating Sydney by 3 points and Greater Western Sydney by 25 points. This meant they progressed to the second round of the NAB cup, where they played West Coast. They lost this game by 37 points.

Source: Author Daaanieeel

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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Forming the Gold Coast Suns Trivia Quiz

The Gold Coast Suns, the AFL's 17th team, had an interesting journey to enter the AFL. This is a quiz on how they formed and the lead up to their first year. Good luck!

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