Everyone wants to win the flag but the reality is that at least half the competition is almost no chance every season. That doesn't mean there's nothing to hope for though.
Every club's situation is different, for some it's more wins, for others it's finals and for a select few, only the premiership will do.
With the AFL's unpredictability being one of its major draws, there's always the chance of a miracle season or a sudden upswing in form. Likewise, there's just as much chance of a nightmare campaign in terms of both form and injury.
As we look across the competition, the passing marks for the year will all be different. Simply saying premiership or bust is not reflective of where the majority of clubs are placed.
With that in mind, here are our pass marks for each AFL team for 2023.
Gold Coast
It's been a tough few years for the Gold Coast, yet to feature in September and consistently losing their top-end talent, something needs to change. There does appear to be some light at the end of the tunnel however.
Season 2022 had its ups and downs, yet 10 wins hinted at progress being made, while under the excellent leadership of Touk Miller, the on-field standards appear to have lifted. Losing Izak Rankine was a blow however, so the club will still want to prevent any more departures.
If the Suns can win 10 or more games and make a push for finals, then at the very least, they will know they are on the right track. Having said that, time is running out and they simply must become relevant sooner rather than later, so a maiden finals berth should be the focus, particularly with star forward Ben King returning from an extended injury layoff.
Pass Mark: 10-12 wins and finals push.
