WHEN Damien Hardwick famously trumpeted he had 80 percent of a premiership list when taking the Gold Coast coaching job, it was a message for the players as much as the public.
It's part of not only Hardwick's bravado, but one of his greatest strengths as a coach – his ability to build belief.
Whether you want to get specific with his initial assertion, or take it in the spirit it was intended, he might not be far off the mark.
Twenty of the 23 players that will run out in Saturday night's elimination final against Fremantle sat in that press conference in August 2023, and they all believed every word that came out of his mouth.
Mark Evans, the club's CEO, travelled halfway around the word to recruit Hardwick alongside Gold Coast chairman Bob East, and told AFL.com.au he was all aboard the coach’s early declaration.
"It was a statement from Damien to everyone in the room to say 'you've got the makings of a premiership club here'," Evans said.
"There'll be some changes along the way, but you've got the bones of it here … he was trying to instil that belief and understanding from day one.
"He understands there'll be errors, he understands that things don't always work the way you draw them on a whiteboard, but he’s been able to empower the group and instil an amazing sense of confidence and belief about what’s possible."
Hardwick oversaw 11 wins in 2024, guiding a team that lost its first 10 games on the road before winning the last two.
Speaking ahead of his first final in charge of the Suns, the triple premiership coach said there was one area that had clearly developed since he took the reins.
"The system we play does take time and it does take understanding," he said.
"Talent has never been the issue at this football club.
"What I think has been the biggest point I think our guys have grabbed has been the grit and connection - the ability to tough it out.
"A Suns team that fights, scraps and refuses to be beaten. We are going to be beaten, but we want to be hard to play against and I think that’s the one thing we’ve taken stock of this year."
There's been evidence of that in 2024. Gold Coast staved off late rallies from Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Collingwood to win games against credentialled rivals.
They dismantled Brisbane, a club that has tormented them for years.
It's been far from perfect, but it's all led to 15 wins and clear improvement, with resilience at the core.
Hardwick is famous for themes, again leaning into them in 2025. He's been huge on following Detroit sporting teams, notably the 'Bad Boys' Pistons (basketball) and the "next shift" mentality of the Red Wings (hockey).
It's all part of leaning into his blue-collar approach, that "grit and connection" he talks about.
Hardwick has also puffed his chest out in the media this year, defending his players and club, taking a swipe at the Victorian premier, biting back at Ross Lyon.
"I've no doubt the persona of the coach has a big part in developing the character of the club," Evans said.
"He's not seeking the praise for himself, and you can see that rub off on the players.
"He walks tall, and he demands other people to feel likewise about themselves."
Coaches bring tactics, gameplans and positional switches, but it's becoming more evident by the game that Hardwick's greatest contribution to the Suns is his belief in them, and in return, their belief in him.
