Danny Stanley, Jack Hutchins and team mates of the Suns celebrate victory after Justin Westhoff of Port missed a goal to win during the AFL Round 05 match between Port Adelaide Power and the Gold Coast Suns at AAMI Stadium, Adelaide.
He’s won premierships, a Brownlow medal, All-Australian jumpers and just about every AFL gong on offer. But Gary Ablett had trouble summing up the joy of captaining Gold Coast to their historic first AFL victory.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Ablett said after a stirring three-point triumph over Port Adelaide on Saturday.
“It’s a fantastic feeling for the boys to have that feeling of winning, it’s great.”
His coach, Guy McKenna, looked like a proud parent.
“It’s a great fillip for the football club – on the field it’s fantastic for the players, but off the field I have no doubt it’s a great shot in the arm,” McKenna said.
The Suns triumphed after trailing by 40 points deep into the third quarter on foreign soil.
“It just shows we’re moving in the right direction,” McKenna said.
“I wouldn’t say the whole game was some great football by the Gold Coast, that is for sure, but we just played a bit more better football than we did last week.
“The pleasing thing was, the boys spent another game out there playing alongside one another and they were able to play the footy they wanted to play, and today they got a win.”
McKenna, who scaled the greatest heights as a player to win premierships at West Coast, was uncertain how coaching the win compared to his playing achievements.
“I haven’t really stopped to think about that, to be honest,” he said.
“I have got a job to do – to develop these boys, to make them grow into good footballers and good people, and that is my job.
“Obviously ultimately the club and the side gets judged by wins and losses, but it’s about these boys developing and growing.
“And today, they stood up and won a game of footy, which is fantastic.
“But next week against the Bombers we all start from scratch.”
Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus says his club is the laughing stock of the AFL after an almighty choke gifted Gold Coast their historic first victory on Saturday.
Gold Coast came from 40 points down 29 minutes into the third quarter to pip Port by three points, 15.14 (104) to 15.11 (101), at AAMI Stadium.
The Suns kicked eight of the last nine goals to log a breakthrough triumph, hailed by coach Guy McKenna as a fillip for the fledgling club.
“Slowly but surely the boys are playing longer patches of good football and it was just that never-say-die attitude,” McKenna said.
“The boys got their tails up … they were excited, they could smell maybe their first victory, so that drove them and probably pushed them beyond the point of exhaustion.
“Look at the boys after the song and most of them were reaching for oxygen masks and about to pass out.”
McKenna’s charges, defeated by a 93-point average in their initial three games, appeared set for another whipping when Port forward Daniel Motlop kicked his fourth goal of the game late in the third term.
Motlop’s major put his side 40 points up but the Power spectacularly collapsed in the last stanza, when Gold Coast booted 6.5 to 1.4 to steal victory.
Power utility Justin Westhoff had a chance to win the game for his club with a kick at goal after the final siren, but his 45 metre set shot sailed wide for a point.
Primus took the unprecedented step of publicly apologising for Port’s performance.
Asked if the loss made Port the AFL’s laughing stock, Primus replied: “Yeah, for sure.
“We have got to delve real deep into the psyche of our club and understand why we produce these kinds of results.
“To our supporters and sponsors, we apologise for that and we’ll keep delving away to try and produce 22 (players) that want to compete on a weekly basis.
“… It doesn’t do wonders for the morale of the club and the brand at all. We have a brand that hasn’t been well thought of for a couple of years now and we are going to sort our way through it.”
The Suns’ experienced players shone, with midfielder Michael Rischitelli (31 disposals, two goals), captain Gary Ablett (26 touches), Jared Brennan (23 possessions) and Jarrod Harbrow (22 disposals) all influential.
Their match breaker was pint-sized forward Brandon Matera, whose four goals included two freakish snaps while also helping create other scores in a standout display.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
"Can a club be seen as serious allow a coach to go on when they drag a player of Rodan’s calibre when they needed him most." It's just one game. If Port didn't allow Primus to continue, I personally wouldn't think they were serious. The last thing any serious organization can do is sack their coach after just one game. In fact, if Port were to have sacked Primus after just one game, and five or so games into his career, I would think them no better than the local suburban footy club. "Port is the laughing stock of Australian sport." That is incredibly debatable. I will say this though; the players are mostly to blame. A coach's influence is overrated. Leigh Matthews once wrote that 'the coach's contribution, both good and bad, is vastly overrated by the footy community.' Port were terrible, however those who are to blame are the players, especially the senior players. To blame Primus is a copout and lets the real culprits off the hook.
Fake ex-AFL fan
Guest
In Trust Me's defence I can see where this particular misunderstanding is coming from. Technically it is correct to say that the last rights deal was $780m for FTA. This is because Channels 7 & 10 bought the rights to all games and then on-sold the rights to broadcast four games to Foxtel for $300m. So that $300M for the pay tv rights was not in ADDITION to the $780m for FTA - it was PART of the $780m. Just to reiterate, the TOTAL was $780m, which included $300m from Foxtel and $480m from 7 & 10 (and obviously some amount from Telstra for the online rights, not sure exactly how much). Hope this clears things up.
Rob McLean
Guest
I was sitting in a caravan park in Mildura listening to this one. It was a lovely sunny day and plenty of people were sitting outside enjoying the weather. Of our group, I was the only one sitting and listening to the footy. When Ablett kicked that goal - I said to one of my fellow holidaymakers as they walked past, the Suns can still win this. Sadly, I didn't duck over to the pub and put a bet on. As the game progressed, I could hear a few cheers here and there. I realised I wasn't the only one with an eye on this game. By the end of it, there were people cheering all over the place. Funnily enough, the Suns club song was top of the charts in the park. I could hear it being sung everywhere. It was an enjoyable afternoon of footy listening - made better by the fact it was Port being humiliated. If you live in SA, you don't have to support the Crows to hate Port. Couldn't have happened to a better team.
woodsman
Guest
Awesome game. Massive congratulations to the Suns and all their members. Never too early to talk up a dynasty like they should shape up to be with 50 games under the belts of their crop of talent.
woodsman
Guest
Will be a great rivalry for QLD over the next ten years as both clubs seek to build a new chapter at the same time. Lions to become under-dogs for the first time since the merger.
woodsman
Guest
Hear-hear!
woodsman
Guest
Other than your 'evil Pies' jibe I completely felt the same. Had been bagging Westoff the whole game in front of several friends. Utter gold when he missed so badly.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
let me run this for you. Channel 7 are bidding 425 million for 4 games live and simulcast - as opposed to the previously exclusive arrangement. This is worth less than the previous exclusive arrangement. Telstra are bidding 100 million for 1 game per week live and simulcast - there was no previous arrangement. Foxtel are bidding 9 games live and simulcast where necessary. Exclusive rights to 4 matches. (one more than currently). No matter which way you spin this - 1.025 billion is more than 780 million (or even 840 million when you factor in telstra rights last time)
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
suns were paying 13.00 at one point in the third qtr
Trust Me
Roar Rookie
The FTA TV rights are going for about $400M - that's the latest offer on the table. This is a drop of $380M on the last FTA TV rights deal of $780M. But the Pay TV rights are expected to go up from $300M to $500M. So overall the AFL is worse off by about $180M from 5 years ago on the FTA and Pay TV components of the AFL rights - 1,080M down to 900M. What bit didn't you understand Cattery?
The Recalcitrant
Guest
This might get me shot, but what is the word from the betting agencies. Were any odd bets made on Gold Coast Suns winning? Would be interested to know. I only know of one 1000 dollar wager on the Suns at 10 to 1. Seems very suspicious to me.
The Recalcitrant
Guest
Can a club be seen as serious allow a coach to go on when they drag a player of Rodan's calibre when they needed him most. Port is the laughing stock of Australian sport.
Redb
Roar Guru
Loved it. Been saying for awhile the Suns are good to watch.
The Cattery
Guest
Very true ruckrover, and we're talking about the youngest, newest team.
The Cattery
Guest
Trust Me On the TV rights thread, you said, and I've quoted the sentence in its entirety: "So overall the AFL is worse off by about $180M from 5 years ago on the FTA and Pay TV components of the AFL rights. " In other words, you are trying to argue that $1 billion is less than $780 million over five years, because both figures are almost entirely comprise FTA and Pay TV components.
The Cattery
Guest
heh, heh, yes you're right, I've got that wrong - see below for clarification.
Trust Me
Roar Rookie
OK Cattery, walk me through the AFL logic that proves that 780Million is greater than 1Billion. I was talking about their last home game which was less than 12K - if they didn't win, their next home gate would be even less. But you show me your numbers - or are they just AFL figures.
ruckrover
Guest
Wish I'd seen the match, friend who did watch on TV said the comeback was one of best ever. Apparently in Melbourne a train driver kept giving the passengers updates through the last quarter. Saw the highlights. Australian Football is fabulously exciting when teams make comebacks like this and the tempo of the game goes up a notch or two and the ball can whizz the length of the field so fast. That Garry Ablett goal straight down the guts that started it was fantastic.
"On another thread he tried to argue that $780 million was less than $1 billion." I'm afraid you have lost me here mate! One billion is one thousand million, therefore $780 million is less than one billion!
The Cattery
Guest
Precisely. If GWS can averae 12k next season, I reckon the AFL would be absolutely rapt.