A bit of fun in this thread. Rank your top 5 athletes to play for the Gold Coast in any professional team sport. Your list can include anyone from the Bears (87-92), Giants/Seagulls/Chargers, Rollers, Blaze Gold Coast United, Titans and/or Suns. Here are my top 5:
1. Scott Prince - Gold Coast Titans (2007-2012)
Games: 124
Points: 719 (32t, 293g, 5fg)
Prince had a six-year career on the Gold Coast in which he captained the Titans to two top 4 finishes and one preliminary home final. He also represented Queensland and Australia while at the Titans. Prince isn't the games record holder for the Titans but he has scored the most points for the club by far (the next best is 350+ points behind Prince). Everyone on the coast loved Princey back in the day and I think he is worthy of the top spot at this point in time.
2. Gary Ablett Jr - Gold Coast Suns (2011-present)
Games: 79
Goals: 102
Currently in his fifth year on the Gold Coast and has been the sole captain of the Suns since day one in the AFL. He achieved something no other athlete has for a Gold Coast team when he won the league best and fairest award in 2013. Despite his individual brilliance, he has not yet been a part of a finals series with the Suns and has not played 100 games for the club. For those two reasons, I put him behind Scott Prince for now.
3. Preston Campbell Gold Coast Chargers/Titans (1998, 2007-2011)
Games: 117
Points: 146 (19t, 35g)
Has the rare honour of being able to say he has played for more than one Gold Coast team. A Gold Coast career that spanned six years, he began and ended his career on the coast. An undersized fullback, he was a crucial part of the Titans' top 4 finishes back in the day. Perhaps his crowning achievement was the amount of work he did with the indigenous community on the Gold Coast while playing. His legacy lives on through the Indigenous All Stars game that the NRL holds each year, which was concept invented by Campbell. I have him at number 3.
4. Roger Merrett - (Gold Coast) Bears (1988-1992)
Games: 94
Goals: 118
Revered as being one of the first really big pioneers for Aussie rules in Queensland. He is very highly regarded in Queensland footy circles and had a solid career on the coast. I put him at number 4.
5. Jarrod Harbrow - Gold Coast Suns (2011-present)
Games: 88
Goals: 26
Currently in his fifth season with the Suns and is the games record holder for the club. He is a respected figure at the Suns and is known for his work with the Indigenous community. He is seen as a key component of the Suns' future success and has already been huge for the club. I put him at number 5.
I didn't go out of my way to choose three Indigenous players but I'm glad they made my top 5. I thought about including Jason Culina but his career on the Gold Coast wasn't significant enough IMO. Wally Lewis was a big name but he wasn't very good when he played for the Seagulls. The Rollers and Blaze didn't really have anyone worth noting. I nearly gave the fifth spot to Luke Bailey from the Titans but I feel Harbrow's performance for the Suns so far is just ahead of Bailey's Titans career.
1. Scott Prince - Gold Coast Titans (2007-2012)
Games: 124
Points: 719 (32t, 293g, 5fg)
Prince had a six-year career on the Gold Coast in which he captained the Titans to two top 4 finishes and one preliminary home final. He also represented Queensland and Australia while at the Titans. Prince isn't the games record holder for the Titans but he has scored the most points for the club by far (the next best is 350+ points behind Prince). Everyone on the coast loved Princey back in the day and I think he is worthy of the top spot at this point in time.
2. Gary Ablett Jr - Gold Coast Suns (2011-present)
Games: 79
Goals: 102
Currently in his fifth year on the Gold Coast and has been the sole captain of the Suns since day one in the AFL. He achieved something no other athlete has for a Gold Coast team when he won the league best and fairest award in 2013. Despite his individual brilliance, he has not yet been a part of a finals series with the Suns and has not played 100 games for the club. For those two reasons, I put him behind Scott Prince for now.
3. Preston Campbell Gold Coast Chargers/Titans (1998, 2007-2011)
Games: 117
Points: 146 (19t, 35g)
Has the rare honour of being able to say he has played for more than one Gold Coast team. A Gold Coast career that spanned six years, he began and ended his career on the coast. An undersized fullback, he was a crucial part of the Titans' top 4 finishes back in the day. Perhaps his crowning achievement was the amount of work he did with the indigenous community on the Gold Coast while playing. His legacy lives on through the Indigenous All Stars game that the NRL holds each year, which was concept invented by Campbell. I have him at number 3.
4. Roger Merrett - (Gold Coast) Bears (1988-1992)
Games: 94
Goals: 118
Revered as being one of the first really big pioneers for Aussie rules in Queensland. He is very highly regarded in Queensland footy circles and had a solid career on the coast. I put him at number 4.
5. Jarrod Harbrow - Gold Coast Suns (2011-present)
Games: 88
Goals: 26
Currently in his fifth season with the Suns and is the games record holder for the club. He is a respected figure at the Suns and is known for his work with the Indigenous community. He is seen as a key component of the Suns' future success and has already been huge for the club. I put him at number 5.
I didn't go out of my way to choose three Indigenous players but I'm glad they made my top 5. I thought about including Jason Culina but his career on the Gold Coast wasn't significant enough IMO. Wally Lewis was a big name but he wasn't very good when he played for the Seagulls. The Rollers and Blaze didn't really have anyone worth noting. I nearly gave the fifth spot to Luke Bailey from the Titans but I feel Harbrow's performance for the Suns so far is just ahead of Bailey's Titans career.
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