Gold Coast Football Club

[Primal]

For those who don't follow our game... the Australian Football League is bringing in its 17th club next year. The club, based on the Gold Coast in Queensland, has been playing a squad of youngsters in the minor leagues to get them some experience as a team before they finalise the club's lineup and transition it up to the big league.

For the past two years, they've played under the generic name of the Gold Coast Football Club and worn very plain red playing strips with the club logo on the front:

BUT....

that's all about to change. Tonight (AU time), there's going to be a grand unveiling of the club's final name, logo and playing strips for its inaugural season in the AFL. The event will be streamed online, if you're curious.

Here's what we know about the announcements...

Name

Almost certainly to be known as the Gold Coast Suns. The AFL has been busy legally registering that name in many ways, although there are concerns about their ability to get all the trademarks given Phoenix's existing TMs down here over 'Suns'.

Logo

It may be an adaptation of the above, or it might be completely different. Who knows.

Playing strips

Three to be revealed: home, away, clash. This preview was in the news this morning:

(socks and shorts are their current ones, although probably only the clash socks will change too much)

[BB61]

Suns is not a terrible name, but there are much better ones. I guess if Sydney can get away with the Swans (and yes I know why they're the Swans), then GC can get away with the Suns.

I'm excited to see these jumpers. The backs look nice, if nothing else.

[Alphabet Man]

Gold Coast in red short will force Sydney to purchase white shorts.....

[Primal]

Gold Coast in red short will force Sydney to purchase white shorts.....

It will force them to actually use their clash jumper! Can't have both sides with solid red backs.

[Alphabet Man]

This?

I don't think theyve worn that yet?

[Primal]

This?

I don't think theyve worn that yet?

Only in pre-season this year. Though I'm willing to lay odds that Gold Coast are the reason it was introduced at all.

[Alphabet Man]

[Alphabet Man]

[Primal]

[Alphabet Man]

[Alphabet Man]

Get rid of the home, make the away the home and the clash the away and its pretty cool.

[Primal]

They dribbled on at the presentation about how the design of the home jumper would survive for generations, but that won't survive five years. No personality whatsoever.

The clash works well. Good colours, something tangential to the club's home in the design. The away is just all sorts of confused. A gold/white ocean wave on red for a team called The Suns. Riiiiiight.

And you know what that logo needs? More bevels and gradients. It doesn't have nearly enough.

[Alphabet Man]

They are better off using the current VFL jumper..... if they changed the away so its a blue wave...... the same as the clash but change the white to red, it'd look half alright.....

Well lets hope Team GWS don't hire the same designers....

[.snowy]

Thank god they aren't using the VFL jumper, plain red is just too boring (plain blue is acceptable in Carltons case). The entire set looks sharp, could have been a lot worse, GWS, you're next.

[Bayne]

meh. It still looks fairly generic to me. Dissapointing. Not sure about the Suns either, though I'm sure it will grow on me. Anyway I don't really care for AFL so I won't lose any sleep over it.

[Discrim]

well, I like the clash. the home's okay (granted, I agree with Primal, I don't think it'll have the staying power of Adelaide's hoops or Freo's anchor). I guess the away will suffice, though I'm not in love with it.

[Primal]

Thank god they aren't using the VFL jumper, plain red is just too boring (plain blue is acceptable in Carltons case)

Carlton's jumper works because their entire identity is simple and classy. The monogram is the focus of the logo, their nickname invokes nothing else other than the colour of their jumper, it's the epitome of a simple brand.

But the Suns have a gradientfest logo, a very evocative nickname, and this home jumper lines up alongside two very complex other strips. And perhaps worst of all, it looks like the jumper's design is just following the Reebok template rather than being the product of independent thought ("where does the gold go?" "Well the jumpers have got side panels..." "Done!").

[Gregmond]

I was really looking forward to this unveiling, but I really think they have dropped the ball here.

I understand the region team is based, and I get that they wanted to combine numerous elements synonymous with the region but they've gone for sun in the name, lifesavers in the colours, and waves in the guernsey. I get it ... the gold coast is famous for sun, sand and surf ... but that's too many elements for this one brand!!!

And the logo ... don't get me started. I think the entire concept will be overhauled (just like Port Adelaide) within five years.

[Alphabet Man]

The GC football logo (as used by itself up until now) is by far a greater logo. Why not leave it at that? I don't see the point of having a home and away of the same colour!

The away will sell more jumpers than the home..... I don't see kids wanting that home one (and lets face it, they are the ones who buy these things)

Someone mentioned Carlton, remember these VFL sides were created in the 1800s when things were much more simpler.

[deep]

suns is a nice name but the logo is terrible imo. im actually surprised since afl has some of the best logos i have seen (lions, carlton, hawks, westcoast eagles).