Saturday, 21 April 2018:
 | | Senior coach STUART DEW during a Gold Coast Suns AFL training session at Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia. | |
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Gold Coast have done so much flying that coach Stuart Dew reckons the Suns are on autopilot.
But Dew believes their three-month AFL road trip, which next stops for Sunday's derby against Brisbane at the Gabba, will only benefit the team in the long term.
Due to the Commonwealth Games, the Gold Coast can't host their first game at Carrara until the round 11 clash with Geelong on June 2.
And life on the road appeared to be catching up with the Suns after they dropped both games on their Perth leg, including last round's 80-point thumping by West Coast.
But Dew isn't blaming the travel for their two-game losing run.
"You don't sit there and keep track of how many flights. It's part of the job," he said.
"We are a little bit on autopilot in terms of getting to the airport, get to the game and try and win."
The Suns only have to travel down the road to tackle the Lions this weekend after flying to Cairns, Melbourne and Perth in the first four rounds.
Dew believed the team were forming a special bond on the road.
"Barring the results, in terms of the group and the feel and the closeness, the time in Perth was good," he said.
"It's actually been a really good exercise for the football club.
"We've had to change every week and be flexible so I think it's been good for the group to actually (realise) things aren't that bad and things aren't as rough."
Dew said the Suns (2-2 record) would be out for redemption after they "lowered their colours" in last week's horror result against West Coast.
The Lions (0-4) will also be desperate to bounce back after their woeful 93-point last round loss to Richmond.
"We see it as an opportunity to get four points and turn the corner after this five weeks at 3-2 (record)," Dew said.
"Both clubs are wanting to respond, which should make for a good contest."
