At pains to point out AFL progression isn't linear, Damien Hardwick is desperate to see one tangible measure of Gold Coast's development.
It's something the Suns have never had since entering the league in 2011: a winning season.
A maiden finals appearance is out of the question for Gold Coast (9-11) this year, but they can nevertheless take a positive step against Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
"They're playing for something and the narrative will be that we're not playing for anything, but that couldn't be further from the truth," Hardwick told reporters on Thursday.
"We want a winning season. We've never had one and this is the first step for me.
"We want to be a winning organisation and finals might be out of reach, but what we do know is we need to win and have a winning season.
"The players understand that, we've got to make sure we execute and do it as well as we can, and make sure that our fans sit there and understand that this is a footy club that's hopefully on the up."
Finals success for Gold Coast remains Hardwick's ultimate aim.
And the three-time Richmond premiership mastermind isn't backing away from his pre-season assertion that 80 per cent of the Suns' first flag team is already on the list.
"Everyone looks at the linear progression but the fact of the matter is the journey is up and down," Hardwick said.
"We're going through some trials and tribulations at the moment but it doesn't mean the end goal is any further away.
"We've got a really strong understanding around where we're at and what we need to do to improve, and how we're going to get there.
"But the vast majority of our next premiership side is certainly on the list."
Hardwick is aiming to break a personal drought at Marvel Stadium this week, having not led a winning team at the league-owned venue since declaring in May 2021 he "hates" going there because it lacks "soul".
He's had 10 losses and a draw at the helm of Richmond and Gold Coast in that time, including three consecutive defeats with the Suns this year.
When quizzed on the record, the 51-year-old cheekily pointed out he's also the "most winningest player" under the roof, boasting a 19-1 record from his days as a hard-nosed defender with Essendon and Port Adelaide.
"I'll put my boots on ... it's a funny one," Hardwick laughed, before adopting a serious tone.
"We know what we need to do.
"What we are doing is not executing when it matters and we're not playing our moments well enough.
"That will come with experience."
