Primus says older Suns are on the rise March 6, 2013 - 5:46PM Gold Coast Suns are older and wiser than they were when they beat Matthew Primus's Port Adelaide in their first AFL season, according to the ex-Power coach. Primus, now an assistant at the Suns following his axing last year, was in the opposition coach's box when Gold Coast claimed their first AFL victory at AAMI Stadium in 2011. But since joining the Suns in September last year, Primus feels there's no comparison between the club's current group and the one that caused him so much embarrassment less than two years ago. He believes after two seasons in the AFL, the Suns are now ready to start turning their potential into performance as they aim to deliver on a promised premiership by 2015. "They're two years older from their first year in the competition," Primus told reporters on Wednesday. They're fitter, they're stronger. All those sorts of things are definitely going to make them improve. We know there's talent there, it's just the maturity of each individual player and the group as a whole is going to get a lot better. Primus's main role at the club is the development of young ruckmen such as Zac Smith. The 23-year-old penned a new deal with the Suns on Tuesday and Primus believes he's got all the tools to become a leading big in the competition. "We'd like him to take a bit more possessions around the ground but we're really concerned about his ruckwork first and foremost and make sure he's pretty good at that," Primus said. He shapes up pretty good. He hasn't got too many games under his belt but he's a big boy. He competes really well. I think the future's pretty bright for him.