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Suns CEO’s response to Wilson’s Darwin report
Andrew Slevison • August 5th, 2025 10:18 am
Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans has responded to a report suggesting the club wants to scrap their relationship with Darwin.
Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson indicated on Monday night that the Suns are keen to get out of their two-game annual contract at TIO Stadium and instead move those home games back to People First Stadium.
Evans initially denied the claims and in fact says the Suns are looking at extending their relationship with Darwin where they are 8-0 since taking over the contract from Melbourne
“No, that’s not true. I did see that snippet,” Evans said on SEN Breakfast.
“Darwin has been terrific. It’s been a great partnership, brilliant people and we’ve got a really good record there.
“We’re contracted for 2026 and I think we’re more likely to continue beyond that.
“So, I’m not sure why she’s gone so hard on that.”
Evans spoke with Wilson on Monday and explained how the story might have come about.
“She spoke to me yesterday and her positioning was that Damien Hardwick doesn’t want to play there. Well, I can tell you that the discussion at our end came at an executive and board mid-year strategy and review session,” he added.
“It was 27th of June this year, barely four months into the season and we’d played just three games on the Gold Coast. So the supporters are saying, ‘Why can’t we see more of you?’
“There were signs that our list was tired from all of the travel. Three games (at home) in nearly four months - can you imagine a Melbourne-based team copping that?
“We don’t have a Gather Round and we don’t have other teams that want to play home games at our venue against us. We don’t get cut any slack in travel so the conversation was more around that - what’s the future?”
But soon after he indicated that the partnership will be up for review beyond 2026.
SEN Breakfast’s Garry Lyon asked: “So definitively, you do not want to get out of this Darwin deal?”
Evans responded: “Nah, we’re contracted for next year.
“If we were having a discussion with them usually in the first half of that year to look at what’s beyond that contract then I think it is open for us to review it properly to see what the future holds.
“Once we get past 2026 I think we will talk about how many games should we play there.”
Wilson reported that the AFL was not overly happy with the stance the club has taken. The league insists it will not financially assist the Suns to make up the $2 million the Darwin games bring in for them.
“They would rather not be playing home games in Darwin,” Wilson said on The Agenda Setters on Monday night.
“Mark Evans, the CEO, contacted Shane Dunne from the Richmond Football Club recently and asked him if Richmond would be interested in picking up at least one of their games next year.
“The AFL are not super impressed by this and have told the Suns if you want to get rid of these Gold Coast home games in Darwin - which are worth $2 million a year to the club - you’re not going to find the $2 million any other way from us. AFL not particularly impressed.
“They’ve played eight times in Darwin since they took over from Melbourne and have never lost.”
Wilson is of the belief that head coach Damien Hardwick is likely behind the mooted move.
“The view of the footy department at the Gold Coast is they win at home too. And they want to grow the game in southern Queensland,” she added.
“The view of the AFL is obviously they’re trying to develop the game in Darwin, obviously Gold Coast have some wonderful Indigenous players who promote the game beautifully and sell the game and develop the game in Darwin.
“The footy view is they come back ultimately with tired legs that starts to show up at the end of the season. That’s another reason they don’t want to travel.
“I assume this would have been driven by Damien Hardwick. The Suns have always been a compliant club, and I think we’re seeing less compliance from the Suns now.”
Agenda Setters host Craig Hutchison admitted he was surprised by the report.
He is of the belief that the Suns should be helping the AFL in any way they can.
“It’s extraordinary on both fronts. They’re well looked after by the AFL,” said Hutchison.
“It’s a reasonable assumption that they can go and help grow the game as part of being in the northern part of the country.
“The second thing is if Damien Hardwick doesn’t want to play there… I nearly fell off the chair.
“Yeah I am (shocked by that). Bizarre.”
While the Suns have won eight from eight in Darwin since 2022, their form immediately afterwards has not been flash.
This year they lost three of four after their TIO Stadium sojourn. Last year they also lost three of four in the aftermath. In 2023 the same.
In Hardwick’s second season at the helm, the Suns are on the verge of a first finals appearance in the history of the club.
They next meet Carlton at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night as they strive to keep themselves entrenched in the top eight.
