Suns finals fever as Premiership Cup Tour hits the Gold Coast
Suns brought the Premiership Cup Tour to People First Stadium with Gary Ablett Jr.
What’s happening?
On 9 September 2025, the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Cup Tour stopped at People First Stadium on the Gold Coast. The event featured two-time AFL Premiership player, dual Brownlow medallist and 357-game Geelong Cats and Gold Coast Suns great Gary Ablett Jr.
Ablett reflected on his time with the Suns and the excitement of their first-ever finals win. “Obviously, I spent seven years of my footy journey here on the Gold Coast and… being part of the Premiership Cup Tour is obviously exciting and it’s just great that people get to come down and be part of this,” he said.
Why it matters
For Ablett, the event was about more than the players. “You’ve got the football club, you’ve got the players, but everyone else involved, whether that be the supporters or anyone that’s helped the club out on the journey, for them to be able to come along and hold the Premiership Cup and be part of this day is really special,” he said.
He admitted nerves while watching the Suns’ first final. “I actually turned the game off at three-quarter time. I couldn’t watch the last quarter,” he revealed. Later, he checked the scores and praised the team’s composure. “To play the football that they played was very impressive and it was just great to come away with the win.”
Local Impact
Ablett spoke of congratulating teammate David Swallow after the deciding moment. “To see and hear that Dave was able to kick the winning point was just the perfect way to finish their first final,” he said. He added that while the Suns had enjoyed the win, focus was already on their next game. “I’m sure they got to enjoy it for the first 24-48 hours and onto week two of the finals now.”
By the numbers
The Suns led by 28 points halfway through the third quarter of their first final.
Gary Ablett Jr played 357 AFL games across Geelong and Gold Coast.
It has been 11 years since Ablett’s last Premiership win.
Zoom In
Ablett said the Suns had impressed in their debut finals outing. “You need that… finals football, which I think is a different brand of football, it’s a very contested game. And… I was just really impressed with the way that the boys played in the first final.”
On individual players, he noted Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson’s impact. “Matt will go and he’ll get the contested ball. Noah on the outside, just his run and the way he breaks the lines. They’re just both fantastic players… they play off each other’s game so well.”
He also pointed to Tuuk Miller and Dayne Zorko, saying: “They’re the type of guys that you’d want on your team. They compete, they want to win.”
Zoom Out
Ablett reflected on the Suns’ development over time. “I’ve known for the last four or five years that the club was heading in the right direction,” he said.
Finals football, he added, would accelerate that growth. “Every game that the players are getting into them is fast-tracking their development. But to be able to experience finals football, which I think is a different brand of football… I think they’ll take a lot out of that.”
On the broader picture for AFL in Queensland, he highlighted the Suns’ academy. “Just the academy, you’re seeing the strength of the academy up here and the players that are coming through… if they grow up with it and they’re training those skills, well then, they come into the AFL more ready to compete at the top level.”
What to look for next?
The Suns face Brisbane in week two of the finals. Ablett is confident in their potential. “I think they’re good enough to win the Premiership without a doubt… they’ve got to play at their best to be able to beat teams like the Lions, like the Cats. But yeah, I think they can do it,” he said.
