Craig Hutchinson’s secretive bet; Bailey Smith swaps shoes with Geelong CEO Steve Hocking

In 14 seasons of football, the Gold Coast Suns’ lack of success has cost the competition a great deal.

But on a personal level, it’s unlikely that anyone has coughed up more than media mogul Craig Hutchison.

It all started late in 2010, on the balcony of the sun-drenched Burleigh Pavilion. Hutchison – who didn’t wield the power and influence he does now – was overheard scoffing at the amount of concessions that had been handed to the Suns, who were due to enter the competition the following season.

So convinced was Hutchison that the AFL’s new boys would be too successful, too soon, that he was willing to put his money where his mouth was.

Unfortunately for Hutchison, the three gentlemen who just happened to overhear his pronouncement had a particular interest in football. Those three amigos? Gillon McLachlan (who was not yet CEO), then legal boss Andrew Dillon and then fixture/broadcast guru Simon Lethlean. All three were significantly involved in the launch of the Suns … and all three loved their wine.

“I’m willing to have a bottle of Grange on it,” Hutchison quipped.

“On what?” retorted the amigos.

This was the deal: Hutchison would give a bottle of 1996 Penfolds Grange to each person for every year that Gold Coast didn’t play finals. But he expected a bottle per person for every year they did.

The three amigos were in, and they were keen to get more people involved. Some of the invitees were 3AW powerbroker Shane Healy and former AFL executive Richard Simkiss (who now runs Hutchison’s events arm).

It’s turned out to be a tough 14 years for Hutchison who, it must be said, has blown people away with the way he has honoured the agreement.

Each year, without fail, Hutchison has literally wined and dined the group, handing over a bottle of fine wine to each of the participants and paying the bill for lunch at the end of each season.

The first iteration was at Scopri, one of Melbourne’s finest Italian restaurants in Carlton. The most recent was at the world-renowned Gimlet, where the lobster will set you back $188.

One year he even flew the group (in a private jet, of course) to Adelaide for the day.

For Hutchison, a ruthless businessman who knows how to save a dollar, it’s been a costly exercise.

There have been other people who have floated in and out of the group collecting their annual bottles of Grange, for different seasons, so it’s difficult to put an exact figure on just how much Hutchison has forked out. But we know there have been at least six people who have cashed in every year.

Now, maths was never my strong suit at school, so bear with me.

A bottle of 1996 Grange (I’ve never tasted it but heard great things) will set you back $1499 at Dan Murphy’s. Six bottles every year for 14 years is 84 bottles.

84 x $1499 = $125,916. That’s before lunches are paid for – or the private jet.

And you haven’t even heard the worst part.

As the Suns entered their second year under Damien Hardwick in 2025, things were getting a little boring for the participants. They were, apparently, sick of collecting a bottle of $1500 wine every year. So the terms of the agreement were changed.

Hutchison was allowed to pick two fringe teams to play finals, with the carrot of a doubled reward if they both made it. The stick? If both teams missed, that would be another bottle of Grange. Each. Who did he pick? Carlton and Essendon.

Those picks meant Hutchison didn’t collect his bottles for Gold Coast making finals for the first time.

It’s enough to make you squeamish.

And it gives a bit of an insight into just how much was riding on that last game of the season for Hutchison, when the Suns had to beat Essendon to secure a September debut.

Had the Bombers somehow pulled off the upset of the season, the Suns would have missed the eight (again) and “Hutchy” would have been up for 12 more bottles of Grange ($17,988).