‘Bit of a win’: Suns snare former cricketer

Luring former Victorian cricketer Zak Evans to the Gold Coast was a small step in a bigger goal of starting to attract talent to the Suns, according to coach Damien Hardwick.

Evans, 24, who played Sheffield Shield level and with the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash, joined the Suns as a category B rookie.

In the club’s 14th AFL season, Hardwick lauded the enhanced ability of club staff to retain key players after an exodus through their early years in the AFL.

Key forward Ben King, who is set to return from injury to face Collingwood on Saturday, is locked in until 2026, one of many players to reject overtures to return home to Victoria.

In-demand ruckman Ned Moyle also signed a new four-year-deal this week, while Will Powell has signed on until 2029 and co-captain Touk Miller is locked in until 2027.

While Hardwick conceded Evans, who played alongside the likes of AFL star Bailey Smith at Xavier College in 2018, had some work to do to get AFL ready, he said choosing the Suns over North Melbourne was a good indicator the Queensland club was doing something right.

“Our players made him feel really welcome, we’ve got a great environment,” Hardwick said on Thursday.

“Our retention of players has become paramount and really important to where we are today. Now we just have to start attracting some talent, and Zac is one of those players we have had a bit of a win with.

“He knows the game, he’s played the game, he’s had some time off. He’s got a unique skill set, he’s explosive, he uses the ball really well. It’s going to take some time, he hasn’t played a level as high as this, but we are excited to give him the opportunity.”

The Suns have dropped two games in a row, both on the road, but return to their home fortress to face off against the Magpies in front of a sellout crowd.

Hardwick said inconsistency in performance was plaguing his side, which is still pushing for a maiden finals campaign, and it was up to him as coach to get them better as soon as possible.

“We want to get back on track. We’ve lost two in a row and need to make sure we play our best footy. We think it’s not too far away,” he said.

“There’s going to be some ups and downs and we understand that, it’s important we create that consistency we are craving.

“That’s on me as a coach, to get them to understand what we can play like when we do play well – what it looks like and what it feels like – and I probably haven’t got the best out of them in that aspect so far.”