Despite an impressive first quarter from the Gold Coast Suns, they couldn’t maintain the rage and eventually went down by 38 points to the Sydney Swans on Saturday night.
Final score
Gold Coast Suns 6.5.41
Sydney Swans 11.13.79
The Gold Coast Suns are not giving up on season 2016 just yet, but they’ve got an almighty challenge against the Sydney Swans incoming. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:25pm (AEST).
Gold Coast looked to have put a woeful 2015 behind them after starting the year with three wins.
But the injury curse has obliterated the Suns once again, and they’ve lost all seven games since that eye-catching start, by an average of 70 points.
Coach Rodney Eade is adamant the side has improved, and with a host of stars set to return over the coming weeks they could still have something to say as far as this season goes.
A poor finish to 2015 had many writing Sydney off as a premiership force in 2016, with some even predicting the Swans would miss finals altogether.
But ten rounds into the season and Sydney have made an absolute mockery of those predictions.
They sit in second place at 8-2, and have already ticked off wins against Hawthorn at the MCG and the previously undefeated North Melbourne. Their average losing margin in 2016 is also a mere five-and-a-half points.
John Longmire wouldn’t be drawn on it, but the Swans look like legitimate contenders right now.
Sydney are one of four teams Gold Coast are yet to taste victory against in the AFL. The Swans have claimed all six contests between these sides by an average of 56 points.
Prediction
Gold Coast will welcome back several key players from injury this week, so this may not be the complete bloodbath many expect.
But the form Sydney are in right now suggests even a near-full strength Suns side won’t stop them from taking the chocolates.
Swans by 43 points
Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:25pm (AEST).
Stirling Coates
Editor
Click here to read the full match report from this game GOLD COAST SUNS v SYDNEY SWANS THE ROAR AFL MVP VOTES 3 VOTES - Tom Mitchell (SYD) - Fought a gripping duel with Gary Ablett and ended up taking the points. 33 disposals, at 73% effectiveness in the wet, 14 tackles, six clearances and a goal. On a tear right now. 2 VOTES - Josh Kennedy (SYD) - Excelled in the poor conditions, racking up 33 disposals, ten tackles, eight clearances and five inside 50s. 1 VOTE - Kurt Tippett (SYD) - Continued his career best form with a dominant night in the ruck. A whopping 50 hit-outs, accompanied by 16 touches, half of which were contested.
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOLD COAST SUNS v SYDNEY SWANS FULL TIME REPORT Gold Coast Suns - 6.5 (41) Sydney Swans - 11.13 (79) GOAL KICKERS Suns: Sexton, Davis, Lonergan, Lynch, Rosa, Matera Swans: Rohan 2, Parker 2, Franklin, Lloyd, Rose, Sinclair, Jack, Mitchell, Heeney DISPOSAL LEADERS Suns: Prestia 38, Rosa 33, Miller 32 Swans: Hannebery 36, Mitchell 33, Kennedy 33 TEAM STATS Disposals: Suns 398, Swans 392 Contested Possessions: Suns 197, Swans 192 Tackles: Swans 131, Suns 115 Inside 50s: Swans 58, Suns 56 Clearances: Suns 52, Swans 44
Stirling Coates
Editor
SIREN Quite fittingly, the siren sounds with Dane Rampe taking an intercepting mark. The Swans back six were superb, keeping Gold Coast to just 11 scores from 56 entries inside 50, and in the end they were able to grind out a tough 38-point win. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 11.13 (79) FULL TIME
Stirling Coates
Editor
Very silly from Tom Lynch to strike Laidler in the stomach right in the view of the umpire. Will most likely escape with just a fine, but he won't escape the wrath of Rodney Eade, who brings him from the ground and puts him straight on the phone. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 11.13 (79) Q4: 1'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Bit of wrestling going on in the Gold Coast goal square. Tom Lynch getting very frustrated with Dane Rampe, begins tossing him around, Jeremy Laidler comes in to remind him of the quiet night he'd had and Lynch ends up on report for striking Laidler. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 11.13 (79) Q4: 2'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Dion Prestia has done well to bob up with 36 disposals, 11 clearances and eight tackles, but his disposal efficiency is sub-50%. Gary Ablett off the ground receiving attention on his troubled shoulder. Hopefully nothing serious there. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 11.13 (79) Q4: 4'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Tom Mitchell has had just the eight touches and three marks tonight despite getting target regularly inside 50. Not a key forward's night but Dane Rampe's done a superb job on the Coleman medal candidate. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 11.13 (79) Q4: 5'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Injury concern for Gold Coast late, with Jesse Lonergan on the bench with the club jacket on and ice on the right knee. His demeanour suggests it's nothing serious but ice on the knee is never a great sign. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 11.13 (79) Q4: 6'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SWANS And here come the skills with the weather clearing. Sydney end up kicking it to the forward pocket and they've got Luke Parker on his own. Kicking from 20 out but on a 170 degree angle, he goes the standard drop punt and threads the needle! Great goal late, he's kicked two for the highlight reel tonight. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 11.13 (79) Q4: 7'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Lance Franklin goes on a run up the corridor and tries to pull the trigger from just past the centre circle, but Steven May takes him out with an ice hockey style hit to the side. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 10.13 (73) Q4: 9'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Inside 50s level at 52-52. Neither side would be happy with the relatively low number of chances they've generated from those numbers. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 10.13 (73) Q4: 10'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SWANS Kieren Jack gathers at half forward and his kick to full forward is marked superbly by Isaac Heeney in the one-on-one. You're not supposed to be able to clunk it like that in the wet. He dobs the goal from the top of the square and that puts the margin back out past 30 points again. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 10.13 (73) Q4: 11'
Stirling Coates
Editor
With the tackle count currently at 111-106, both Gold Coast and Sydney have broken their club records for tackles in a game tonight. Kurt Tippett has also notched his personal best hit-out tally for the second week in a row, racking up 47. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 9.13 (67) Q4: 12'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SUNS Gold Coast get some rare time and space at half forward and the kick inside 50 finds Brandon Matera. Jarrad McVeigh catches him high while he's still juggling the ball, but the non-controlling umpire adjudges it to be a late, high hit and that's 50 metres. Matera slots the easy goal from the goal line and the Suns keep it respectable on the scoreboard - they don't deserve a blowout. GC - 6.5 (41) SYD - 9.13 (67) Q4: 13'
Stirling Coates
Editor
The rain looks to have stopped in Robina, QLD. With barely any wind to speak of we might see some silky skills to finish off an otherwise dour contest. GC - 5.5 (35) SYD - 9.13 (67) Q4: 14'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SWANS Sydney do well to get it up the ground from the out on the full free kick. Dan Hannebery brings the kick to a two-on-two to ground, hands off to Gary Rohan and his snap across the body bounces through the vacant goal square for a big goal to kick off the fourth quarter scoring. GC - 5.5 (35) SYD - 9.13 (67) Q4: 15'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Gold Coast starting the last quarter like they started the third. This time the kick across half back finds Alex Sexton in a bit of space, he plays on around Isaac Heeney but his running kick is an absolute shank and ends up hitting the behind post. GC - 5.5 (35) SYD - 8.13 (61) Q4: 16'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Sydney survive the early rally from the Suns and get the ball up the middle of the ground. Zak Jones receives the handball from Dan Hannebery at half forward sends a well weighted kick to Gary Rohan, but his set shot from 45 out ends up hitting the behind post off hands. GC - 5.5 (35) SYD - 8.13 (61) Q4: 17'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Jarrad McVeigh's kick from full back lands on the chest of Nick Malceski. That would have been good news for Swans fans two years ago, but Malceski plays for Gold Coast now. He ends up sending the dart to full forward but nobody's alert to it and Sydney clear. GC - 5.5 (35) SYD - 8.13 (61) Q4: 18'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Sydney's 2.7 were the last nine scores of that third quarter. Definitely could have put the game to bed. GC - 5.5 (35) SYD - 8.13 (61) Q4: 19'