Gary Ablett's Gold Coast Suns will not only be chasing four points when they play Melbourne at the MCG, but valuable experience at the ground. Picture: Adam Head Source: HWT Image Library
GOLD Coast coach Guy McKenna wants his team to use their clash with Melbourne at the MCG as preparation for a future AFL grand final.
While taking on the second-last Demons in a Sunday afternoon round seven fixture might not seem like the kind of game where future premiership stars will emerge, McKenna says it's the venue which is the key.
The former West Coast half-back won two grand finals at the MCG with the Eagles and is adamant a key to finals glory is being comfortable in your ability to perform at the venue.
"It's probably not who you're playing at the MCG, it's just the MCG itself," McKenna told reporters on Wednesday.
"It's a game where you want to put your name out there and know you can perform at the MCG because you're going to have to at some stage.
"There's going to be a grand final or finals series and you want to know you can perform.
"It certainly helps the coaching group to know you can perform at the MCG because, fingers crossed, down the track, you want to be playing there in September. That's when reputations are made."
The Suns have played four fixtures at the MCG since entering the competition in 2011, losing on all four occasions.
And if McKenna believes performing at the ground is a mark of a player then his team has fallen short so far.
In those four matches the Suns have conceded over 100 points in each and the closest margin was a 30-point loss to the Demons on their first visit in 2011.
But McKenna is hopeful his 2013 edition can respond to criticism in the wake of last weekend's disappointing loss to an undermanned Fremantle and prove their worth.
The club is yet to make a call on whether Campbell Brown will return to the line-up after his six-week suspension ended.
Brown is one of those proven MCG performers McKenna seems to rate after winning the 2008 premiership with Hawthorn, but a lack of match fitness is undermining the 29-year-old's bid for an instant recall.
"We know he can compete, there's no issue with that," McKenna said.
"It's whether he can sustain that for four quarters and that's the big coaching dilemma we've got this week."
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